Would you rather eat chocolate chip cookie dough or COLD COD?

When David Protein launched frozen cod for $55, the internet thought it was a joke.

But while everyone laughed, David executed one of the year's smartest marketing play, and made their protein bars look like genius by comparison.

WHY IT MATTERS

David's cod offers 23g protein and 100 calories. Their popular bars offer 28g protein and 150 calories—more protein, fewer calories, zero cooking required.

The cod wasn't designed to be profitable. It was designed to be a comparison anchor that makes the bars look like the obvious choice. Instead of spending millions on ads explaining "our bars are packed with protein," they launched a product that shows it.

GO DEEPER

First, let's talk comparison anchors.

A comparison anchor is when you put your product next to something else—usually something worse, more expensive, or more inconvenient—so your product looks like the obvious winner.

Think Apple's "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" ads. The PC guy was stiff, boring, and buggy. The Mac guy was cool, relaxed, and just worked. Apple didn't have to explain why Macs were better. The comparison did it for them.

Or Guinness with "Good things come to those who wait." While other beers brag about being fast and refreshing, Guinness made their slow pour look like craftsmanship. Suddenly, waiting wasn't a bug, it was a feature.

David Protein took this idea and cranked it to 11.

Here's what actually happened.

The numbers make the case. If you're serious about protein, you could eat raw boiled cod...or you could unwrap a bar that gives you more protein, fewer calories, and actually tastes good. How would you like to consume your 25g of protein?

They made it real. David didn't just announce the cod as a joke. They actually launched it for $55 per four-pack. You could buy it. They shipped it. And Happier Grocery, a respected New York health-focused retailer, now stocks it in-store for $52.49. That retail partnership transformed this from "viral stunt" into "legitimate product line."

They knew their audience. David's customer isn't grabbing a snack on the run. They're tracking macros, optimizing nutrition, and thinking about protein density all day long. These are people who would actually consider eating plain boiled cod if it meant hitting their numbers.

This isn't new, but it's rare. Most brands try to tell you why they're great. David showed you by launching a comparison so absurd, it grabbed people’s attention. That's the power of the anchor.

TAKEAWAYS

Create your own comparison anchors. What's the most extreme version of what your product does? If you're a copywriter, compare your service to hiring a full-time writer. If you're a coach, compare your program to a four-year degree.

Design content as a marketing vehicle. Not every piece of content needs to drive profit—some exist purely to communicate your value better than traditional advertising. A free email course, a viral post, or a comparison guide can be worth more than a paid ad.

Know your customer's real motivation. David's customer are motivated by protein optimization, not convenience. What's the deeper psychological driver for your audience? Build your message around that, not surface-level features.

Calculate marketing ROI differently. Instead of asking "Will this drive sales?" ask "Will this generate more brand value than traditional marketing spend?" Your viral LinkedIn post that doesn't convert immediately might be worth more than a paid campaign.

BOTTOM LINE

The world uses marketing power to sell what's hollow.

We'd better get creative at using it to point people toward what's holy.

You can't compete on volume. You compete on clarity.

David launched fish to sell bars. They created an unforgettable way to communicate their superiority while competitors spent millions on influencer partnerships and paid ads.

This is what sharp looks like.

Study the way the world wins attention. Reverse-engineer it. Then aim it at the Kingdom like a laser.

BEFORE YOU GO

If someone in your network needs this, share it ♻️

And if you're a Christian founder or marketer who wants to write content that sticks (without spending hours staring at a blank screen), Very Good Ghost will handle the writing while you focus on building. Let's talk.

Keep writing what matter,
—Payton

P.S. I found a few little tricks that are making click engament on CTAs go bonkers….