I have finally finished reading the final book. (Don't worry - no spoilers here.) All in all I was happy with the ending. It was both a realistic conclusion and a smart marketing conclusion. J.K. did herself proud.
But on to the marketing aspects of Harry Potter. Here's the discussion of the second marketing topic:
- It's got the classic underdog story that everyone seems to associate themselves with
In our minds, we are a nation of underdogs. Ironic given that we are the last remaining superpower, but true nonetheless. We have been raised to believe that we are the pioneers who sailed across the oceans in search of a new life, who conquered territory and overcame great odds to be where we were. These were our ancestors. Even though most of us never experienced the feeling of being a pioneer, we still believe that it is in the core of our being. When pushed to the wall, we are the underdogs and we will overcome any odds to succeed in our task.
The civil rights movement understood this dynamic when they picked the "we shall overcome" slogan. The cartoon "Underdog" was one of the most beloved cartoons of its time and is now a feature film. The most popular movies of all time are underdogs overcoming great odds to succeed. In fact, that is the theme of most action films these days. It is a part of our culture. If you tap it, it will work for you too. It's worked for Avis car rental who is #2 in the industry. Their slogan? "We Try Harder." When you translate this, it says "we care more about you than the big guys, so use us - we're the underdogs." When Saturn cars first came on the scene, that was the theme they used as well.
Thoughts on how to use the underdog theme in your marketing.
- Are you lower in the marketplace than you competitors? Use it to your advantage in the way that Avis and Saturn did. Point at the megalith company and claim that you try harder, care more, have more personlized service, etc. Remember not to put the other guy down or even mention him by name. Just allude to the "big guys". That will trigger the affinity for the underdog.
- Do you have some sort of handicap that you are overcoming (divorce, physical disability, just moved into a new area, having a baby, etc.)? Use that as your jumping off point for a campaign targeted at people who like to be helpful to others.
- Are you the megalith company? No problem, just claim that you are the underdog who has already overcome great obstacles to get where you are today. Everyone likes to work with a winner.
OK - those are my thoughts - now it's your turn. Talk amongst yourselves...
Read the Previous Installment - Harry Potter and Marketing
Read the Previous Installment - Harry Potter and Marketing II
Kelle Sparta is the author of The Consultative Real Estate Agent - Building Relationships that Create Loyal Clients, Get More Referrals, and Increase Your Sales, as well as being a speaker and trainer and coach specializing in the real estate industry. Kelle is the founder of Sparta Success Systems, a real estate training company that provides coaching, products, and training to empower agents and brokers to create lives and businesses they can love. To learn more about hiring Kelle as your coach, visit her website. For more information, visit her website at http://www.spartasuccess.com/. © 2007, Kelle Sparta.
I gotta say, when I clicked on this topic I didn't see the possible connection - great post!
Dear Joe,
I know, my brain is pretty tweaked in how it processes sometimes, but it usually comes out to be at least a little relevant. ;-) Thanks for stopping by!!