Sponsored by

GM. This is Needs to Exist (aka NTE), delivering you a startup idea that turns blank walls into viral brand campaigns.

Over 3k+ startup ideas I can get right now? Sign me up!

Here’s what we’ve got for you today.

• Daily Idea - Murals Sell More

• Offline marketing

Turn Walls Into Brand Gold

Inspired by the Startup Ideas Podcast

The One Liner

Billboards that go viral on Instagram.

The 140 character tweet (or X) version

Blank walls > bland billboards. Brands rent real-world murals that double as eye-catching ads and organic social content.

The Longer Story Version

The Problem
Nobody looks at billboards anymore. We’re too busy looking down at our phones.

Brands still shell out $$$ for stale highway ads… that get zero screenshots, zero shares, zero buzz.

Meanwhile, cool murals? People stop. They take photos. They post. They remember.
But here’s the catch: there’s no “mural marketplace.” No streamlined way to rent that killer wall near a trendy café in Brooklyn or a skatepark in Venice.

Building owners don’t know what their wall is worth. Brands don’t know who to talk to. Artists don’t know who’s paying.

Everyone’s guessing. So nothing happens.

The Solution
A mural-as-a-service platform that turns blank walls into brand moments.

• For brands: Pick a city, pick a vibe, pick a wall.

• For property owners: List your wall like Airbnb. We handle measurement, photography, and pricing.

• For artists: Get matched to projects that align with your style, and get paid fairly.

Murals go up. Photos go viral. Everyone wins.

This isn’t outdoor advertising. This is earned attention, painted by hand.

How We’d Build It

Stage 1: MVP in One Zip Code

• Walkable city (e.g. Williamsburg, Silver Lake, Wynwood)

• Use Glide or Softr to spin up a quick marketplace

• Map walls with photos, dimensions, and availability

• Brands apply via Typeform → routed to Airtable

Stage 2: Scale With SaaS DNA

• Build a proper 2-sided platform in Bubble or WeWeb + Xano

• Use Eagle.cool or Figma plugins to showcase visual mockups of murals

• Plug into Canva’s Smartmockups API to preview murals on walls

• Send local crews via Worksome or Field Nation to scout walls

Stage 3: GTM Flywheel

• Run mural contests with influencers (think: “Design this for Nike”)

• Turn murals into UGC hubs, incentivize posts with QR codes that trigger sweepstakes

• Partner with real estate investors to pre-bundle wall rights in new developments

Why It Needs to Exist
Because we don’t need more ads. We need better ones.

Murals are thumb-stopping IRL content. They blend brand + culture.
They create moments people want to share. They feel organic, because they are.

This gives brands something most media doesn’t: cool.

And it gives wall owners and artists a new way to earn.

Attention is currency. This paints it.

Looking for unbiased, fact-based news? Join 1440 today.

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Subscribe to 1440 today.

Needs To Exist Pro

Pay $99 to Stop Lying About "Having an Idea"

💡 3,000+ Business Ideas You’ll Pretend Were Yours
From scams in a shed to billion-dollar delusions, fresh dopamine hits added daily.

🔍 Organized for Your Tiny Attention Span
AI tools? Dating apps? Lawncare? Whatever fantasy you’re chasing, we’ve sorted it. Just don’t ask us to build it for you.

🧠 Curated by People Smarter Than You
We dug through every newsletter, thinkpiece, and deranged founder podcast so you can keep scrolling TikTok.

🚀 Launch Plans Even You Can Understand
Step-by-step instructions. Because without them, you'd still be Googling “how do I start a startup.”

Offline Attention, Online Impact
Where IRL moments drive URL traction and virality.

Everyone’s chasing online attention. Optimizing thumbnails. A/B testing tweet hooks. Paying Meta to maybe show your ad to someone on the toilet.

But what if the play isn’t more pixels, it’s people turning real life into content?

The smartest marketers today aren’t fighting the algorithm. They’re building moments people want to share. Real-world dopamine that fuels digital distribution.

You don’t need a better growth hack. You need offline attention that creates online momentum.

Think about this:

• A coffee cup that unlocks a crypto wallet.

• A laundromat that runs affiliate ads on detergent.

• A storefront that doubles as a TikTok set.

These aren’t businesses. They’re triggers for content. And content is the new currency.

Here’s how to spot ideas in this category:

1. Start with the overlooked.
   Most people walk past it. You see a monetization surface.

   • Park benches → rentable QR scavenger hunts

   • Elevators → mini vertical podcasts

   • Blank receipts → affiliate print networks

2. Design for the flex.
   People post what makes them look smart, funny, or early. Your product is the stage.

   • Think of Canva IRL — how can anyone remix your space or brand?

   • Use Play.ht or ElevenLabs to add ambient AI-generated narration or sound design to your offline product.

3. Engineer virality into the medium.
   If it exists in real life, give it a digital layer people can’t ignore.

   • Use Tapkit to create smart QR flows

   • Use Beams.fm to embed short audio stories tied to physical objects

   • Use Luma AI to turn real spaces into interactive 3D assets people can share

Mini case studies (a.k.a. things I wish I built):

• A ramen shop that sells table space to indie creators. $50/month and you get your art projected above every bowl. The shop becomes a creator showroom.

• A yoga mat that doubles as a lead gen tool. Brands sponsor the mats. You scan, win, and share. Instant CAC arbitrage.

• A mirror in a bar bathroom that roasts you via AI, then texts you a selfie and insult combo you have to post.

Startup Angle:

Offline attention has better economics. You pay once, people market you forever. The internet turns earned attention into owned traffic.

We’ve seen this with billboards, sticker bombs, even receipt ads. But the next wave? Smart, creative, trackable physical moments.

This is the rare intersection of:

• Brand demand (everyone wants unique media)

• Physical leverage (limited space = premium)

• Viral mechanics (content creation as a byproduct)

So if you’re thinking of your next idea:
👉 Don’t just build for clicks.
👀 Build for stares.
📸 Build for shares.

Because the best content strategy might just start with a sidewalk.

One More Meme