Swordfish

Last night, I saw a good movie on local TV. Actually, that was one of my favorite movie, with title Swordfish. I believe most of you have seen this movie, eh? I have seen this movie few times, and this movie really impresses me much. Not because of the scenes or the actors/actresses, but the path and logic from the movie itself.

One interesting part was when Gabriel Shear (John Travolta) told Stanley (Hugh Jackman) about Harry Houdini’s the art of misdirection. He told Stanley:

Misdirection, Stan. What your eyes see, what your ears hear, and what your mind believes

Actually the big idea of the movie itself is all about misdirection.

How Gabriel could lead Stanley to do and think about something that he (Gabriel) had predicted and guessed. Here is one of the example:
One of Gabriel’s man left a set of bazooka on the (would be abandoned) bus. What’s the point? He knew that Stanley could see the bazooka. And when Gabriel escaped using a chopper, Stanley surely would not let him go (Gabriel had predicted it. That’s why he asked his man to put a set of bazooka inside the bus – normally, there’s no use to left a bazooka inside a bus that you know you will abandon it, right?). Gabriel knew that Stanley would grab the bazooka and terminate him. While actually, Gabriel himself wasn’t on the chopper. Misdirection! Gabriel already set up a dead body inside the chopper and made sure everybody guessed that he was died inside the chopper.

The thing that we can learn from this scene is all about misdirection.

Related to marketing:
You usually can do something, visible, and let your competitors to see your activity. While actually, you are doing something different, dangerous, or deadly for your competitors on the other side (not visible). Why should you let your competitors see your activity? Simply, to misdirect him/her or to attract his/her attention. Or maybe you want to create a specific perception about yourself, while the real activity of yours is not visible. In this situation, maybe we are more familiar with phrase “camouflage”. This trick is very usefull and easy to be implemented. On some condition, maybe you will spread gossip (by using 3rd party person/company) about your company’s plans in the near future. But of course, that is a wrong gossip and intended to misdirect your competitor and vice versa. If your plan is succeed (and your competitors got misdirected), then you are one step ahead and easily to run your original plan.

There are a lot of practical example in business about this misdirection concept. But I think I have not enough time to discuss it right now, maybe later.

But for your own good. Never trust something that is too good to be true ;). Especially in business (but sometimes, it’s too good to be true but it’s true – so use your instinct eh?). Never expect a farmer will give free cheese to feed the mouse. If he feeds you (the mouse), surely he will ask something more. Perhaps your head? 😀

Don’t easily believe in your eyes, ears, or your others (five) senses. Maybe use you sixth if you have it 🙂