I recently watched batman vs superman. Making $46M around the globe on its very first day is surely a great opening for a movie. No doubts there! And although I personally am not a big movie buff there was something that made me eagerly wait for this movie to release and watch it on the very first day.
Well, I believe it’s the brand magic. But have you ever wondered how Batman became so famous and so popular that he can drive millions of people crazy?
There is a general perception that marketing lessons can be learned from business honchos only. But hey! There’s a lot to learn from other sources too. Have a look:
1. Batman
Research
Batman always does his research. No matter what part of Batman series you’re watching, he is always digging into data to find a way to defeat miscreants. Batman always plans. Not to get too nerdy, but he makes a contingency plan as well.
As a marketer, knowing your target audience, your business inside out (SWOT analysis), and your competition is very important. Don’t go for a shot in the dark. Make a plan.
Reuse what converts
Despite creative changes in the way Batman appears, or the criminals he tackles, the original story — the bat, the logo, and the persona are all still there.
If a story has performed well, figure out ways to re-purpose the story or include it in new content. Similarly, if you find a content, advertisement or may be your ad song grasping high engagement rates, use it again. Don’t worry about being repetitive — there’s a reason it performed well in the first place. Your fans will appreciate the consistency.
2. Mickey Mouse
Reflect the trend
There were a lot of cartoon characters that popped up in the 1920’s but none could withstand the test of time that the Mickey Mouse brand has for more than 80 years.
When Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse in 1928, he looked and acted much differently from the cuddly character that we now recognize. He had a pear-shaped body and slender arms and legs. Disney changed it with time and taste preferences.
Brand yourself
The Mickey Mouse Brand utilized diverse vehicles to brand himself in the marketplace. Mickey was first marketed as an animated cartoon and later on, was licensed along with other characters for use in a comic strip in 1930. 15 commercially successful, animated short films that ran in theaters before the main attraction, made the brand easily recognizable by the public.
3. Narendra Modi
Go digital
Modi has utilized digital platform wisely. He has a dedicated digital media team that constantly updates content on his diverse digital network.
In the digital ecosystem, brands should buckle up to create impressive impressions that will be value for money as well. The faster the brands get onto digital media, the better for them.
Brand promise
If Modi says he’s going to make the dream of clean India come true in next five years – he says it with such conviction that it seems plausible. His followers don’t doubt that he’ll deliver. Confidence is the key. We tend to incline towards those who are self-assured and unwavering in their optimistic promises.
While I am not encouraging you to make big brand promises, it is important for you to create a clear, realistic brand promise. Your brand promise should demonstrate conviction and exude confidence, so that customers develop expectations for your brand.
4. Adele
Diversify your market
Stick to your segment — this is what most of the top intellectuals preach and practice. But she clearly panders to no one, in specific. Her songs cater to all. Grannies can appreciate them, so can teenagers. Bosses cry too, you know. There are very few brands that can span such a diverse market spectrum and she does it amazingly.
Don’t work all the time
Adele doesn’t keep producing songs, albums and videos. Instead, she disappears to do strange things such as living and breathing and returns when she has something she hopes people will like. It’s tempting in a world that never stops to feel the need to keep on satisfying it. Stay true to your own being.
5. Donald Trump
Take a stand
The strongest brands in the world often repel as many people as they attract. Strong brands express a point of view and stick with it fervently. Donald Trump’s brand reflects true polarity. There’s a petition to ban him in the UK while at the same time Vladimir Putin said of him, “He is a bright and talented person without any doubt,”.
Personal branding is not about pleasing all the people all the time. It’s about taking a stand – knowing that not everyone is going to agree with you.
Build brand ambassadors
Donald Trump has a community of people who support him – a group of brand ambassadors who are on a mission to help him build his brand, carry his message, and work steadfastly on his behalf. Personal branding is not something you do by yourself. You need to build a core community before you can grow your visibility in the larger community.
I believe a single line would sum up everything we’ve discussed so far — All Good Things take time.
Every idea should be given its time and space it truly deserves. Don’t rush things, don’t rush production and don’t rush design. If your campaigns are given a reasonable amount of time, they will turn out better and they will perform better.
