Not so long ago, In a studio not so far away a Jedi Brand Master set off on a mission...
"to inspire and help leaders create purpose driven brands. Brands that have the power to lead change and be the Force for good. "
Now today, on May the Fourth - he will show you how to become a branding Jedi with 4 key lessons from the universe of Star Wars...
1. The Force of a good story
While we’re not all in the film business, we can still incorporate a great story into our own brand strategy.
Firstly figure out what your underlying message is. Focus on deep-seated messages that spur action.
The Star Wars movies are known for their epic stories of good versus evil, with complex characters and rich world-building. This compelling storytelling has helped to build an emotional connection with fans, who are invested in the characters and their journeys.
Combine classic storylines with relevant elements that speak to your brand and underlying message. These storylines can be consistently displayed through your blogs, your site's About pages, video ads, or social media posts.
"Marketing is no longer about the stuff you make, it's about the stories you tell."
Seth Godin
2. Unparalleled Cultural relevance
This is just as important as having positive brand perceptions and makes up a full 25 percent of a consumer’s purchase decision.*
When building or revising your brand strategy you should begin to think how to implement powerful cultural relevance into your brand. Tackling big cultural impact across the galaxy my be a mission too big for smaller brands but observe your world or space in which you operate. What does your audience need right now?
Think how in the the new Star Wars trilogy’s, they incorporated the female and minority characters and raised the bar and added cultural impact.
Bring that knowledge to your service or product. How can I creatively incorporate this need or desire through my services or products?
Continually tweak your product or service to fit with cultural shifts to keep your brand/product/service relevant? .
"Brands and branding are the most significant gifts that commerce has ever made to popular culture. Branding has moved so far beyond its commercial origins that its impact is virtually immeasurable in social and cultural terms."
Wally Olins
3. Consistency is key to building a strong brand identity
One of the most important branding lessons from the Star Wars brand is the power of consistency.
Since the first movie was released in 1977, the Star Wars logo, typography, and color scheme have remained virtually unchanged. The consistency of these elements has helped to build a strong brand identity that is instantly recognizable to fans around the world.
When Disney acquired the Star Wars franchise in 2012, they continued to use the same logo and typography, even for the new movies they produced. This consistency helped to maintain the brand's identity and ensure that fans could easily identify the new films as part of the same franchise.
In other blog posts on this site we constantly mention the importance of consistency when it comes to branding.
"Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistency leads to success. Greatness will come."
Dwayne Johnson
4. Find or create your tribe
Star Wars as a brand is built in the minds of the fans. The series has a tribe of loyal fans who eagerly await products, news and more from their favorite franchise. Most of them just want to interact with the Star Wars franchise and show their pride in their “fandom”.
As a brand, you should reward your loyal followers and turn them into Jedis for your brand. Reward them with exclusive content or anything that can turn them into brand ambassadors for you and help you gain more likeminded customers and followers.
You must also focus on the emotions you’re aiming to generate. This emotional
consistency creates a unique connection between your business and your audience and the key factor in what helps your audience choose you over your competitors.
The mind-blowing popularity of Star Wars was largely based on the emotional stir it has created in millions of people, resulting in a truly crazed following.
"A group only needs two things to become a tribe. A shared interest and a way to communicate."
Seth Godin
So there you have it. Our quick snap shot of lessons learned from the Star Wars brand.
“Much to learn you still have…my old padawan…This is just the beginning!”...
Want to learn more?.
Check out our other posts on all things branding including How to build and define your brands purpose
About the author:
Rob Fryer heads up BrandStorm and will change the way you think about your business and it's brand? Why not book a discovery call with Rob here if you are looking to build or revise your brand journey as a force for good.
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