In every generation, one vampire slayer is born. And circa 1997-2003, the single soul destined to save the world from certain doom was Buffy Summers, a typical teenager at Sunnydale High School.
Turns out, Buffy Summers did more than just kick some vampire and demon tail, or give us a strong female superhero to idealize.
She also gave us a few serious branding lessons.
For those of you who are new to the world of Joss Whedon’s cult classic, you can watch all seven magical seasons on Netflix.
Those of you already in the know, get ready to get paranormal with your marketing:
BrandingLesson #1: Embrace Your Inner Slayer.
It’s hard being a slayer. After all, when the apocalypse calls, the entire human race is depending on you to save its hide. It would be so easy for Buffy to simply shirk her duties as slayer and be an average teen instead.
And the same temptation is true for brands. Some try to emulate the success of others, but the smartest brands, like Buffy, know that the key to a die-hard following is to embrace what makes you unique. Showcaseyour company’s culture and unique interests. Use them to let your brand personality shine, and proudly stand out from the crowd.
BrandingLesson #2: Surround Yourself with a Network of Experts.
Buffy is unlike other slayers who have come before her because she refuses to give up her “real” life to live as a solitary vampire-fighting loner. Without the Scooby Gang—Buffy’s group of crime-fighting friends and her Watcher Giles—the world would be lost to the throws of the Hellmouth before the end of season 1.
Take a lesson from Buffy’s book, and rather than trying to go it alone, use your professional network to position your brand as an authority. No single person is an expert in everything that online marketers are expected to do for today’s businesses. But by surrounding yourself with a strong network of colleagues, partners, and mentors, you can leverage the expertise of your peers to enhance your brand’s credibility and foster loyalty.
BrandingLesson #3: When Saving the World, Always Have a Plan.
Buffy’s one goal was to keep her family and friends out of harm’s way. And in order to continually meet her goal of saving her loved ones—and the world—she had to have a plan. Sometimes the plan was straightforward. But almost every season finale required a seemingly impossible mission.
Lesson learned: take risks and try new things, so long as they help you achieve your mission. It is the brands and marketers that truly embrace innovation that blaze the trail past the competition.
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