One character can't defeat Vecna

Hey this is Geb from The Fanbased Formula newsletter!

I finally finished Stranger Things Season 5 over New Year's.

What stood out wasn't Eleven's powers or the Mind Flayer. It was the teamwork.

Matt Duffer said it himself: the only way to defeat Vecna was if "everyone contributes in some meaningful way... like the climax of a Dungeons & Dragons campaign, where every character has a special skill."

Then I looked at this Birddogs "Meet The Team" email. They introduced five characters with personalities. But something was missing.

Here's what Stranger Things does right that this email gets wrong.

Stranger Things had too many characters going into Season 5. Most shows would sideline half of them.

The Duffer Brothers did something different. They gave every character a specific role in the final battle.

Will used his hive mind connection to weaken Vecna. Max guided Eleven through Vecna's mind. Steve came up with the tactical plan. Nancy distracted the Mind Flayer. Jonathan saved Steve's life. Joyce delivered the killing blow with an axe.

Matt Duffer was playing Baldur's Gate 3 while writing the finale. He realized defeating the villain required "the entire party to work together... they're the ultimate team."

The key insight: every character had a purpose that connected to the larger goal.

Birddogs introduced five team members with comic-style illustrations:

Peter (CEO): "He only does 2-3 hours of work a day. The rest of the time he paces the office trying to figure out if he really has to poop."

Sam (Ad Creative): "Sam's the kind of guy who calls in fake traffic tips into local radio stations."

Hoff (Facebook Ads): "One of Hoff's favorite hobbies is capturing caterpillars. Not one of them has made it to butterfly yet."

Karl (Email Marketing): "He's tall, has two working eyes and a tight sphincter."

The email is entertaining. Birddogs has built a brand on irreverent humor. Even after leaving Shark Tank without a deal, they've grown to over $13 million in annual revenue.

But here's the problem: the characters exist without connecting to anything.

In Stranger Things, Will's hive mind connection matters. Max's knowledge matters. Steve's thinking matters.

In this email, the team members are just... there. With jokes.

Characters need roles, not just personalities.

The Duffer Brothers didn't ask "What's funny about Steve?" They asked "What can Steve contribute that nobody else can?"

Supplement brands can use this same approach:

Give Every Team Member a Product Connection

What if Peter's "2-3 hours of work" was spent obsessing over fabric quality? What if Sam's chaotic creativity was behind the hilarious product names? What if Hoff's caterpillar patience explained his dedication to perfecting the built-in liner?

Suddenly, the quirks connect to why the product is good.

Show How They Combine

Stranger Things wins because everyone's contributions add up. What if Birddogs showed how Peter's vision plus Sam's creativity plus Karl's emails equal the shorts you're wearing?

Original Subject: Meet The Team Behind Your birddogs

Improved Subject: Five weirdos. One mission. Your comfort.

Original Team Intro: "Hoff's favorite hobby is capturing caterpillars. Not one has made it to butterfly yet."

Improved Team Intro: "Hoff's favorite hobby is capturing caterpillars. Not one has made it to butterfly yet. But he's patient. That's why he spent 6 months perfecting our built-in liner fit."

The joke stays. But now there's a through-line.

This Week: Take your next team-focused email and ask:

Simple Framework:

Instead of: Personality → Jokes → Nothing

Try: Personality → Role → Product Connection

Where: Netflix (Stranger Things S5, Episode 8)

Watch For: The final battle where every character contributes. Notice how nobody is sidelined. Each person uses their unique strength.

Then Ask: "Does every element of my email contribute to the goal?"

What "Meet the Team" emails have actually made you care about a brand?

Reply with a screenshot.

One last adventure,

Geb Vence

See you next Sunday 12AM PHT.

I help supplement brands create emails that feel like conversations, not ads.

We've generated over $334k+ by building email systems that engage customers through storytelling.

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P.S. I work with 3 supplement brands per month.