Comme ci comme ça

When pitching new TV shows, writers will draft a treatment. This is a document that captures the key details about the show, including the logline (explained in more detail here), synopsis and character descriptions.

Another common feature of treatment are comps - which are used to connect the new show being pitched to existing shows already known by the audience.

Here’s the typical formula used to communicate comps:

[New show] is like [existing show] meets [other existing show] but with [unique twist].

This technique quickly helps to ground what’s being communicated in something that is already familiar to the audience.

This works because the brain is wired to reduce uncertainty. Connecting what you’re pitching to what your audience already knows reduces the cognitive load required to process new information. It’s why the first time you take a route it seems long, but every subsequent journey feels shorter.

Use of such comps can also help cut through the noise which is particularly important because attention spans are so small now.

Here are some examples of comps in film/TV:

Mission Impossible is like James Bond meets Fast and Furious but the hero is a rogue American agent.

Hit HBO show Succession is like Billions meets House of Cards but set against the backdrop of a media family.

The BBC reality show Race Across The World is like The Amazing Race meets Expedition Impossible with a focus on relationships.

This technique extends beyond films and TV shows. For example, padel - the popular racket sport that is taking the world by storm - can be described as tennis meets squash but the games are played in doubles.

This approach to comps can be applied to business when pitching new concepts or ideas to decision makers.

Consider how the iPhone may have been pitched when it was first introduced: the iPhone is like the iPod Touch meets a mobile phone with broadband internet.

Australian fast-food chain Oporto can be described as Nando’s meets KFC with a distinctly Australian flair.

One last example: Warby Parker is like LensCrafters meets Netflix that allows customers to try before they buy.

Having only a few words to articulate the unique twist is a useful forcing function that allows for the value proposition to be included in the statement.

Leading with a logline and comps allows you to succinctly communicate new concepts at a high level. Once your audience has understood the concept at a high level, you’re better positioned to offer more information and can dive into more nuance and detail.