How can your brand (and your website) grow? Be distinct like António Variações

António Variações was waaaaaay ahead of his time. António had no formal music training. But somehow he ended becoming one of Portugal's most iconic Pop Superstars of all time.

But before becoming a famous singer & songwriter, António was a barber. 

During his barber days one of the places where he worked was at Isabel Queiroz do Vale, a famous unisex hairdressing salon in Lisbon.

This was 1981. At the time one of most popular TV shows in Portugal was Passeio dos Alegres presented by Júlio Isidro. 

One day Júlio needed to get a haircut. So Júlio visits Isabel Queiroz do Vale.

Júlio was waiting for his turn when someone says, "Today your hairdresser is António". 

A few minutes later António shows up. This was the first time Júlio meets António. 

António was wearing garish clothes and eccentric fashion accessories (He looked like a hipster decades before hipsters were really a thing).

António starts cutting Júlio's hair with a razor. Júlio slightly panics and thinks, "Oh my god, this guy is going to cut my hears."

Tec, tec, tec, António carries on doing his thing. 

Then in the end he gently tells Júlio, "You know, I also sing a few songs."

Júlio thinks to himself, "If his songs are as exotic as António, this should be interesting."

Long story short, one week later António makes his National TV debut at Passeio dos Alegres. 

António sings a song called “Toma o comprimido” (Take the pill), a psychedelic punk rockish song about aspirin pills. 

While he was singing, António pulls out a bunch of smarties from his pockets and throws them against the TV cameras. Those were his “pills”.

At that time Portugal was a profoundly formal and conservative society that had gone through 41 years of a fascist dictatorship. 

And nothing this different and rebellious had ever been seen on Portuguese TV before. But surprisingly the audience loved it. And soon António Variações became a national superstar. 

António Variações was definitely a rare bird. He was exotic. And distinct.

Overlooked by some, hated by others, loved by many. But he certainly never generated indifference. 

Which is one of the big problems with the Internet in 2020. Indifference.

Because there are way too many websites and 98% of them look and sound exactly the same, which is commercial suicide. The problem starts with boring headlines that aren’t relevant to the reader. And boring doesn't sell.

Your pal,

Miguel Ferreira
Founder & Chief Copywriter, Teardwn + Nishi + Jack Had A Groove FM + Copy Ipsum

(Good copywriting that helps you sell more this year than last. Work with me).

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