"We don’t need better ideas for hanging out. We need fewer choices."​
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Hey Reader,

I’ve been thinking about why the Super Bowl works as well as it does, year after year — especially when it comes to friendships.
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Not the game. The gathering.

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👥 THE FRIEND

Budweiser's Clysdales are iconic. But they weren't necessarily a hit out of the gates.

The ads didn’t spike sales. They didn’t test especially well and didn’t deliver the kind of metrics that make people confident in a conference room.

By most modern standards, they underperformed.

And yet, every time one aired, the same thing happened.

People felt something.

The ads weren’t there to convert anyone. They were there to anchor a feeling.
To remind people what Budweiser was, not to convince them of something new.

That’s why they lasted for decades.

What’s interesting is that the Super Bowl itself works the same way.

Every year there is a mix of the usual suspects and some new people in the room. New friends. Someone’s cousin. Someone you just met.

But the structure stays the same.

Guacamole, gambling boxes, commercials, most people half paying attention to the game itself. Everyone knows the script. And because of that, the new people fit right in.

The familiarity is what makes it social.

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I'm not a conspiracy theorist or even that paranoid, however, but now that I have kids, I'm a bit more cautious, so trying to protect my data feels obvious in the era of AI. )Have you even heard the AI phone assistants, they sound way too real!) I suggest checking out Incogni below.

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🛠️ THE FIX

The Super Bowl works because no one has to invent the hang.

The rules are already baked in.

So this week, put one thing on the calendar that already comes with clear social rules.

For me, the easiest version is a movie.

You meet outside the theater. You sneak in better snacks from CVS. You watch the same thing...or so you think. You talk for a few minutes after. Then you go home.

No one has to wonder how long to stay. No one has to carry the conversation. And you still have something to talk about the next day.

And if a movie doesn’t work, pick something else with built-in structure.

A game. A show. A class. Anything where the structure does the heavy lifting.

That’s the real lesson of the Super Bowl.

The special part isn't the halftime show, it's that it's all been decided for you. And that's what makes it easy to say yes.

So this week, don’t plan something original. Pick something with rules and invite one person to it.

Let the structure do the work.

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📚 THE RECO

Sardines. Yes, really.

There’s a point in life where you become someone who genuinely enjoys sardines. For me it happened in my 20s, old soul I guess. A proud "tin head." I'm trying to make that phrase happen, help me out. But apparently the world is catching up and sardines are having a moment. At least according to my Instagram feed.

My go to: Sardines, crackers, a little lemon. That’s it.

Simple. Filling. And allegedly a superfood....I’m not here to give health advice.

(Full disclosure: my wife loathes the smell, so they’ve been relegated to patio food.)

If you want to go deep, Serious Eats did a great taste test on the best brands:
​https://www.seriouseats.com/best-canned-sardines-taste-test-11791642​

In conclusion, let's not wait for the Superbowl for our next easy hang where everything is baked in.

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See you next week.

—
​Matt Ritter​
The Friendship Guy

As always, please share this with a friend. They can sign up for the Friendship Challenge by clicking here.​