2013 is set to be a big year for Content Marketing.
The Red Bull Stratos jump brought Content Marketing to a whole new level and brands are adopting similar models. They want to tap into that Earned Media space and align it with their overall marketing strategies. Brian Clark has described this year as the year of the writer while others are equally excited for a variety of reasons, including the Google’s Search Algorithm updates.
It’s exciting.
I’ve pulled together a fun post about how movies can remind and inspire us how to do our jobs better as marketers.
#1 Tommy Boy’s lesson in bad Content Marketing
Tommy Boy might be a low-brow comedy with some juvenile humour, but I have found a scene that shows what Content Marketing definitely isn’t. Do the opposite of Tommy. After his father’s death, he is tasked with the job to selling a new product. In this scene, Tommy explains why he can’t sell. He’s too wrapped up in the product and not focused on the prospective client’s needs in order to convert her to a customer. Provide value.
#2 Devise a Jerry Maguire type Content Marketing Mission Statement
It’s a cliché to include a Jerry Maguire clip in this piece, but come on, it’s a classic. But I have opted against the salesy “Show me the money” clip too. Maguire impacts the sports agency with a radical and creative vision for the future of the business. Content Marketing has stemmed from similar seeds. Often this realm could fall under “a form of marketing for self-conferred experts“, but Content has substance. Although don’t write a Mission Statement that will get you sacked like Jerry; don’t say “less money!” At least sleep on it before you send it around to your executive team.
#3 Act as if…. you are Ben “f*cking” Affleck
While Boiler Room doesn’t portray people upholding business standards – far from it – there are nuggets of inspiration in this movie. Courage and confidence may be required for you to get executive buy-in for your Content Marketing Strategies. Stay steadfast, strong and don’t deny your own experience or convictions.
#4 As Coldplay sing, nobody said it would be easy
Techniques adopted in the film Moneyball have already been compared to Content Marketing ideals – Chris Sjetsema for example. Billy Beane and Bill James rely on computer analysis to create a team on a low-budget. They are confident it will succeed. Not everyone believes in it. Sound familiar? “The first one through the wall always gets bloodied.”
#5 A classic Marketing 101 speech from Alec Baldwin. No less.
I thought about not putting Alec Baldwin’s Glengarry Glen Ross speech in here, but the sentiments can be applied to how you execute Content Marketing. It’s all about the context. He talks about Lead Generation, and follows it up with, “AIDA. Attention, Interest, Decision, Action.” This is exactly what your content should achieve.
“Always be closing.”
This is a fairly mainstream list. Are there any inspirational movie clips you know that could be applied to the Content Marketing context too?
