The 100 Years Club Installment #116: Five Marketing Lessons I Learned From Barbie & Comic Books

I confess…

I’m a 9-year-old (and sometimes a 19- or 29-year-old) trapped in a 69-year-old woman’s body.

I collect miniature cars and weird postcards and use props, Barbie & Ken dolls, seasonal earrings and hats, and a puppet named Mimi (because she’s a narcissist—get it? Me, Me?). I now also geek out on electronic toys (no, not vibrators!).

What do all these seemingly silly things have in common with branding and business?

In a wild raging sea of social media and other digital and conventional messaging:

1. Your content needs to be unique and easy to digest. Compelling storytelling is critical for building a brand and generating engagement.
2. Sometimes, a doll or a puppet can “say” things you would never risk speaking out loud.
3. Comic books are easy to skim and telegraphic. One of my favorite series from my youth is Classics Illustrated. If you can fit “Tale of Two Cities” into a comic, you can strip down your brand messages. Many of us are graphic thinkers. And pictures draw the reader in!
4. Videos, like cartoons and other screen-based content, must be entertaining and brief. I often incorporate props into my shoots.
5. Returning to a simpler, fun time puts the reader/viewer at ease and maybe even makes them smile or laugh. If you’re planning events, view them as entertaining “experiences” and look at the world through the attendees’ eyes. You want to deliver memorable moments.

Of course, certain brands and products lend themselves more to levity than others. I’ve written research papers and complex tech reports. But they can still be scannable and snackable! (I call the white papers I write “hot pink papers.”

But no matter what you’re marketing or explaining, remember to be:

• Genuine
• Human
• Concise
• Approachable
• Conversational
• Clear & Pithy
• Timeless (or at least relevant for several years)
• Benefit-oriented (because everyone wants to know what’s in it for THEM!)

Do YOU need a brand?

A brand refresh or a new website/social media presence that reflects your personality?

You wouldn’t ask a random stranger to name your child or decorate your home, would you?

Why would you put your personal or business brand (the most crucial long-term marketing investment) in the hands of inexperienced marketers or tactical experts who don’t see the big picture?

The challenge today is that many newer agencies are specialists in just ONE aspect of marketing (like social media, PR, search, website building, or graphic design) but don’t have the perspective you can gain from having a RESULTS FOCUS for brands for 40+ years (but also have digital media chops).

(And, of course, we’re fun and easy to work with. Because everyone needs a little levity! Check out our “business comic books!“)

Learn more here!