2023 was a big year for marketing. Inventive campaigns and memorable adverts dominated the public subconscious, with some becoming so viral that it was impossible for them to pass us by. But what lessons can we take from these campaigns, and how can we apply these to our communications?
Without a doubt, one of the most spectacular marketing moments of 2023 was the promotion of the new Barbie film. Seemingly overnight the world turned the trademark Barbie pink (even contributing to a nationwide shortage of the colour in the US), and Mattel partnered with products and brands across the globe, producing a veritable tidal wave of plastic-fantastic merch.
Tube stations got renamed (Barbiecan), a real-life Barbie Airbnb Dreamhouse was available for rent, and crowds swarmed to the cinemas decked out in their best pink outfits, resulting in the film achieving a record-breaking streak at the box office.
Partially fuelling Barbie fever was the cultural phenomenon of Barbenheimer. Following months of memes, jokes and other materials combining the two films, millions of people watched both Barbie and Oppenheimer on the same day (of course, wearing pink for Barbie and black to suit the depressing tone of Nolan’s atomic tale). While there’s no way to measure how this affected the success of these films, it’s safe to assume that without Barbenheimer, both wouldn’t have achieved quite the lofty heights that they did.
What Ken we learn from this?
Budget and beloved iconic status aside, the main message from the Barbie campaign is that being big, bold and everywhere is bound to get results. With communications this is easy. Why settle on just an email campaign when you can have videos, posters, interactive games and more? If you want your messaging to make a mark, visibility is key. Driving home the message across multiple formats will ensure that even those with limited interest in what you’re saying will still take notice.
If I raised both my eyebrows at you just before lunch, what would it mean? Well, according to global powerhouse McDonald’s, it’s time for a Big Mac. McDonald’s cashed in on their incredible brand recognition in 2023 with a series of adverts that captured the cheeky suggestion of a Maccas lunch, all without saying the name of the brand at all. In fact, 98% of viewers instantly understood what the advert was for without the brand being mentioned – now, that’s brand recognition.
So what’s the takeaway?
Building a brand for what you want to communicate can make a huge difference. For example, say you want employees to better understand their benefits. Why not create a brand as part of your benefits engagement strategy? Strong identities are memorable, and while the idea of critical illness insurance probably isn’t as instantly appealing as a McFlurry, a strong brand will show employees that it can be.
What do you do if your messaging or product isn’t engaging with a certain group? Yorkshire Tea proved that to bridge any boundaries, all it takes is a little creativity. While tea is ubiquitous with the English way of life, the brand found that younger generations weren’t buying it anymore – a problem they set out to solve with a music video featuring a catchy, TikTokkable rap.
Capitalising on social media trends, the ad spurred success among the target demographic, solidifying Yorkshire Tea’s status as the market-leading tea brand.
What should we be steeped in?
Translating this success to employee and internal comms is simple – it’s about considering who you want to target and the messages that will resonate with them. While no rules are set in stone, considering what makes your target demographic tick is a sure way to increase engagement.
We all know there’s a climate crisis. We also all know that lecturing people about it is unlikely to make a positive difference. Make My Money Matter took a unique approach to the issue by creating a video spotlighting how many pension funds are tied to the fossil fuel industry. Featuring Olivia Coleman (or, Oblivia Coalmine here) the video explored this problem in a scathingly satirical sketch that did not pull punches.
Seriously though
It’s always good to think outside the box and address your audience differently to how they expect, even when dealing with serious topics. For instance, imagine you want to communicate changes to people’s pensions – awareness of pensions is already high, so making the information memorable is what matters. Why not ditch bland emails or newsletters and make a fun video that highlights new information? Perhaps you could choose comms written in a different tone of voice to help readers engage differently? Even a small change can make a huge impact, so don’t be afraid to be creative!
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