Most startups spend millions begging for attention. Connor Gaydos got millions of dollars in attention for free. You’ve probably seen the headlines: performance artist Connor Gaydos, co-creator of “Birds Aren’t Real,” pulled off the absurd stunt of reviving Enron as a satirical brand. He launched fake ads, claimed to unveil a “micronuclear egg,” filed real applications with regulators, and even rolled out branded trucks. He got Global coverage. Bloomberg. Business Insider. Social media threads everywhere. For a stretch, Enron memes were back in the cultural bloodstream—two decades after the company’s collapse. While his execution blurred lines into fraud, his showmanship worked. He tapped the same playbook PT Barnum used in the 1800s—turning the outrageous into headline currency. He got what most entrepreneurs would kill for: attention without ad spend. You don’t need to fake a nuclear reactor to get press. But you can study the mechanics: Pick a symbol people already know. Gaydos resurrected Enron, a brand everyone associates with excess and collapse. He didn’t need to explain it. The moment he said the name, the story carried itself. For you: What symbols or stories in your industry are instantly recognizable but ripe for a fresh twist? Commit to the bit. He didn’t stop at a video. He had trucks on the road, fake board calls, even celebrity cameos. The scale made reporters ask: “Is this real?” For you: Go beyond a single post or press release. Make your idea visible in multiple places until people can’t ignore it. Create shareable contradictions. “Nuclear you can trust” slapped on an Enron truck is absurd. That absurdity created screenshots and retweets. For you: Craft a message so surprising it begs to be shared. “Why is this company doing that?” is free press in motion. Earn laughter or wonder, not cynicism. (MOST IMPORTANT) Where Gaydos crossed the line was in monetizing the confusion—memecoins, real filings, and investor losses. That’s when satire blurred into scam. For you: Keep the stunt tethered to goodwill. If people walk away smiling, curious, or inspired, you’ve won without burning trust. Barnum knew that controversy and curiosity sell tickets—but he also knew the show had to delight the audience, not betray them. Gaydos proved the attention machine still works. He also proved how fast it collapses when the crowd feels conned. Small businesses can pull off their own “ethical stunts”: • Launch a product in an unexpected place. • Borrow an iconic format (movie trailer, political ad, infomercial) to tell your story. • Stage a bold demonstration that dramatizes your product’s value. The goal isn’t to trick anyone—it’s to earn coverage by surprising people in a way that leaves them feeling better than before. Here is the full story for those interested. https://lnkd.in/eTPBYenr