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CMG PROSPECTIVES

The Marvel Model for Success

2018-05-15 | Post By: Dontaye Carter

If you haven’t seen Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War, read at your own risk. I have waited as long as I could before writing anything about the movie. Avenger’s Infinity War opened in China last weekend, and Thanos destroyed the box office there too. The film brought in $200-million to become the fifth highest grossing movie of all time. It passed up films such as Avengers: Age of Ultron, Black Panther, Furious 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and Star Wars the Last Jedi. Now that’s good company! 

 

Why should the Marvel movie franchise matter businesses? Because they are giving you the blueprint to telling compelling stories. Comic Books have been around for decades, but there is no comic book geek out there that can predict the impact of the Marvel movies even when inherently they know how the film will end. 

 

In my first blog, Why Chick-Fil-A's Brand Soars Despite Their Controversial Views?, I shared with you how people connect with you before their products or services. For the last ten years, Marvel has allowed their audience to fall deeper in love with each of their main characters. There’s the high moments of each character’s life and the low moments, the love interests, the fear of failure, and the ability to overcome that makes their stories real to us. These are fictional characters with stories that relate to people. How does your business connect with its target audience? When Thanos killed 50-percent of the population, and then the credits rolled, my heart sank, but I anticipated the sequel to find out how the superheroes win. Does your target audience wait with anticipation for your next product or service? They can if your businesses’ story is told effectively. 

 

When I first heard Steve Jobs share about the iPhone, I became excited. His opening line “This is a moment I’ve waited for two and a half years.” He wasn’t the only one waiting. America was waiting. Like Jobs, Marvel creates anticipation with every movie especially with the after the credit scenes that give you a sneak peek into the next film. After Infinity War concluded, we knew Captain Marvel’s movie is set to premiere next. This method doesn’t only work for movies, and when executed correctly, you’ll notice more significant results. 

 

Ask yourself: 

 

1)   What does my company offer that can build anticipation? Focus on the stories you’re not sharing. Even the small stories matter, look how Marvel used the Scarlett Witch character. 

2)   How can you repurpose stories that reflect your business? How often does a character’s story carry into Avengers from their solo film?

3)   Even when your audience thinks they know you, how can you share details about your company that will make them fall in love with you again? 

 

What Marvel does isn’t science, it’s storytelling. But the stories aren’t new. When you learn to refine what your company already has, you’ll find your audience will fall in love with you all over again.