Marketing Mania

For the last blog of the season, I thought it would be fitting to write about a certain end-of-year summary that many look forward to: Spotify Wrapped!  Spotify ’ s logo Every year, on an unannounced date, Spotify releases a summary of each user’s listening habits over the course of that year. The report provides users with information about the top albums, artists, songs, and genres they streamed over the previous months. This includes unique information like the percentage of listeners each user falls into for their most streamed artists. Last year’s Wrapped also provided fun, personalized touches like messages from each user’s top-streamed artists, a “Me in 2023” section that revealed 1 out of 12 total listening characters based on each user’s specific tastes and habits, a “Sound Town” section that matched each listener to a town based on their listening preferences, and more. Each section of information is displayed in creative, aesthetically pleasing designs. The numerous grap...

 One of the greatest mistakes a brand can make is confusing its audience. Brands forge strong connections with consumers by becoming something they can trust. People like reliability and reassurance. They want to grab the same product and know they’re receiving the same thing every time. It’s one less decision to make, one less stress for them to worry about. People become repeat customers because they get comfortable with that product and know their expectations will always be met. But what happens when you break that consistency? Well, you also break that trust.  Coca-Cola's recent holiday logo created by AI When the holiday season rolls around, there are some commercials you can usually expect to see. From a group of Hershey’s Kisses ringing like bells to kids playing with Hess trucks as the company’s jingle plays, they’ve become somewhat of a tradition, and Coca-Cola’s ads are no different. The brand’s iconic red and trademark logo often blends with wintery backdrops and f...

If you haven’t heard about Wicked by now, I’d be very surprised. The movie is set to release this Friday, November 22, but it’s been a trending topic on social media for months now. Its popularity may be partly organic, with its star-studded cast bound to bring in some level of fans already, but its extensive marketing campaign has undeniably been a contributing factor. Visibility is one of the best ways to raise awareness, but repetition is how you become memorable, and Wicked ’s marketing team took that to heart. Wicked movie poster Its award-winning cast members include Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, and Jonathan Bailey, among other major names in the entertainment industry. Each is well-established with large fanbases of their own, so it’s no surprise their reputations are being used to their advantage when promoting the movie. Their global Journey Through Oz tour includes visits to Sydney, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York, and London. The cast has also appeared in many talk show...

One key lesson in marketing is that rebranding can be risky. Changing too much about a brand—whether it’s the logo, color scheme, or overall aesthetic—can confuse consumers. They may not recognize the brand after and could feel like their loyalty or trust has been betrayed because of the change. However, when it’s done right, rebranding can be a perfect way to refresh and reinvent something. What’s one of the most successful rebranding efforts as of late? Sabrina Carpenter!   The trending pop star first made a name for herself in 2014 by starring as Maya in Disney Channel's Girl Meets World . Her lovable character helped her gain recognition for her acting skills and increased her reputation in the public eye. At the same time, she released her albums Eyes Wide Open and EVOLution . Her debut album matched her acting on Disney, discussing teenage life and relationships over upbeat instrumentals. Her second album attempted to evolve away from that persona with more complex, electron...

What’s something that makes a film a fan favorite? Is it a unique plot? Quirky characters? A nostalgic aesthetic? Well, whatever the reason, the original 1988 Beetlejuice has long been considered a cult classic, and this year’s sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice , is shaping up to be the same. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice movie poster The movie’s cast included a mix of returning and new actors. Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton both reprised their lead roles of Lydia Deetz and Beetlejuice from the original movie, giving viewers a sense of nostalgia from seeing the iconic characters return to the big screen. New additions to the series include notable names like Jenna Ortega, who plays the lead character Astrid Deetz, the daughter of Ryder’s character. Ortega has made quite a name for herself in recent years, especially in the horror and thriller genres, starring in projects like Wednesday , X , You , and multiple installments in the Scream franchise. With other fun names like Willem Dafoe and D...

No matter what genre of movies you enjoy, there’s a large chance that you at least knew something about Avengers: Endgame when it was in theaters. The culmination of the film franchise drew huge crowds to theaters worldwide, breaking box office records and making headlines. Yet, Marvel movies and shows in the last couple of years have seen nowhere near the same level of success as that blockbuster film. Marvel finally broke this downward trend with its recent release of Deadpool and Wolverine , and its excellent marketing campaign was undeniably one of the reasons. Deadpool & Wolverine movie poster Just the presence alone of lead actors Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman was already a significant draw, as their robust acting careers and lovable personalities have garnered many loyal fans of their own. However, their chemistry and reputations also lent themselves perfectly to Marvel’s expansive advertising campaign, especially the live press tour. The actors traveled across the world t...

Most children’s movies seem to follow a similar formula for advertising. Bright colors, funny characters, and captivating animation, all in a fast-paced trailer. After all, that’s what kids are drawn to, and children’s movies cater to children, right? But what if they weren’t the only target audience? Well, that’s the strategy Pixar used when advertising its recent film, Inside Out 2 . Movie poster for Inside Out 2   This highly anticipated sequel was released on June 14 of this year, only five days short of the ninth anniversary of the original, Inside Out . Such an extended amount of time between releases is unusual for a film series. Companies tend to keep that gap to only a couple of years, hoping each new film will build on the success of the last. They’re often released far enough apart to build suspense and ensure good quality but not so far as to lose the audience’s attention. But while that long gap might seem worrying, Pixar wasn’t fazed by it. If anything, it embraced it...