purple cow

Intermediate 📣 Marketing / Advertising

Definition

A product or campaign so remarkable and unique that it stands out in a sea of mediocrity and naturally attracts attention. Based on the principle that ordinary brown cows are boring.

Example Usage

We need a purple cow moment—something so weird that people can't help but talk about it, like Liquid Death's death metal water.

Origin

Coined by Seth Godin in his 2003 book 'Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable'

Fun Fact

Godin chose a purple cow because you'd definitely notice and remember seeing one in a field of normal cows, but after the first one, even purple cows become boring.

Source: Marketing thought leadership and brand strategy literature

Related Terms

Translate This Term

See “purple cow” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator