🔎 They stole from him, so he became the thief

It perfectly captures the universal emotional experience of David vs. Goliath, but with a creative twist that triggers both indignation and amusement simultaneously. The entrepreneur transforms what could be a bitter complaint into entertainment through his clever "thief" costume and genuine smile.

Key points:

• It activates moral outrage through a clear narrative of injustice, triggering what I would call "indignation" – self-righteous anger that feels justified and motivates us to take sides

• It uses humour as an emotional release valve that makes the anger accessible – the visual irony of the "thief" costume outside the store creates cognitive resonance rather than just negative emotion

• It displays authentic positive emotion (a genuine smile that involves the eye muscles) despite adversity, which signals resilience and likability that makes viewers want to support him

Steal this tactic…
When highlighting an injustice or problem, balance negative emotions with creative humour and a clear call to action. This transforms passive sympathy into active engagement. The emotional contrast creates more sharing potential than pure anger or complaint ever could.

This guy took a classic David vs. Goliath situation and turned it into an entertaining spectacle that people couldn't help but share. Instead of just complaining about a big corporation copying his product, he created visual drama by dressing as a thief and challenging them publicly.

Key points:

• The thumbnail instantly hooks you - A smiling guy in a thief costume holding a sign outside Holland & Barrett creates immediate curiosity. It's visually jarring and makes you wonder "what's happening here?" in the first second. You HAVE to click to find out.

• The story follows perfect escalation - It starts with backstory, builds tension with each rejected meeting, then hits a shocking twist ("they copied us"), before escalating to his creative revenge. The pacing keeps you engaged through the entire story, with each part raising the stakes.

• It taps into powerful emotions people love to share - Ange (they stole his idea!), underdog courage (one man against a corporation), and creative justice (the taste test challenge). These emotions trigger people to comment, tag friends, and share to show they support the little guy fighting back.

Steal this tactic…
When facing rejection or unfairness, create a visual stunt that:

1. Shows the problem in a way that's impossible to ignore

2. Adds humour to make it shareable rather than just complaining

3. Gives viewers a clear way to join your side (voting, tagging, sharing)

I LOVE THIS. Kudos to the small business owner cleverly turned corporate injustice into visual comedy by dressing as a "thief" outside the very store that allegedly copied his products, creating instant irony and underdog appeal.

Key points:

• The visual contradiction grabs attention instantly - someone dressed as a "thief" accusing a corporation of stealing

• The cardboard sign with its rhyming message ("SNACKS SO YUMMY THEY COPIED IN A HURRY") makes the complex situation instantly understandable

• It triggers justice-seeking behaviour and underdog support - people love to rally behind David against Goliath

Steal this tactic…
Physically go to where your story happened. Content created at the actual location adds credibility and creates natural tension viewers can't look away from.