Startup Marketing: Roy Lee on Rage-Bait Strategy - Cluely

The Importance of Viral Distribution for Startups

Roy Lee of Cluely advises startup founders to prioritize strategies for achieving virality. He emphasizes that, outside of deeply technical fields, a strong focus on distribution is crucial for success.

Viral Marketing Isn't For Everyone

Lee cautioned that not all founders possess the aptitude for effective viral marketing. He suggested that individuals with strong engineering skills may lack the inherent qualities needed to excel as content creators.

Specifically, he stated that those proficient in engineering are often less inclined towards humor and may not have a natural flair for content creation.

Cluely's Controversial Rise

Cluely’s AI assistant gained notoriety in April following a viral claim regarding its ability to provide undetectable windows for cheating. This assertion was quickly refuted by proctoring services, demonstrating the AI assistant's detectability.

Despite the controversy, the company secured $15 million in funding from Andreessen Horowitz within months, establishing itself as a prominent player in the competitive AI assistant market.

Embracing Controversy

Lee attributes Cluely’s success, in part, to his ability to generate controversy. He believes he excels at positioning himself in a provocative manner.

He explained that he consistently adopts unconventional approaches and presents them through a distinctive voice, which he acknowledges often elicits strong reactions from others.

Attention as Currency

Lee views attention as the primary currency in the current social media landscape. He posits that traditional notions of reputation are becoming less relevant.

He contrasted the efforts of established media outlets like the New York Times to maintain a pristine reputation with the attention-grabbing behavior of figures like Sam Altman and Elon Musk.

The Need for Extremes

Lee argues that the evolving nature of social media necessitates a shift towards extreme, authentic, and personal approaches. He believes that companies must embrace these qualities to capture attention.

Financial Transparency

When questioned about Cluely’s financial performance, Lee declined to disclose specific revenue or user numbers. He explained his reluctance by stating that sharing such data can lead to skewed perceptions.

He noted that positive results are often overlooked, while negative results are amplified. He did, however, indicate that Cluely is performing better than anticipated, though not at an exceptionally rapid growth rate.