A recent trend in the business world is the emergence of a new generation of business thinkers who seek inspiration from other disciplines. In keeping with this trend, today’s MBA programs are as likely to involve biologists as economists.
It’s easy to see why. Learning from unexpected places, people and situations can be highly rewarding and lead to ‘eureka moments’ that come from thinking outside-the-box. Take the Japanese bullet train, for instance, that is capable of speeds of over 200 mph. Seeking to reduce the noise level and improve its aerodynamics, the train’s chief engineer (a keen birdwatcher) drew inspiration from the incredibly streamlined Kingfisher’s beak!
Galvanized by this story, we decided to take a closer look at marketers who drew inspiration from unconventional sources. We hope this motivates you to look for inspiration in unlikely places and create your own eureka moments!
Hollywood churns out so many movies each year that it is a struggle to successfully promote them. Yet, Hollywood seems to have hit its marketing stride. There are several creative lessons to learn from movie makers who push their productions. Here are 7 lessons you can apply to your own brand.
If you have read Iliad by Homer, you have gone on an adventure with Odysseus, the brave Greek king who battled Troy to get queen Helen back. After 10 years of unsuccessful fighting, the Greeks hit upon the strategy of the Trojan Horse. See what important marketing lessons you can take away from this memorable classic.
When the going is great, it is easy to forget that it takes effort to sustain the success. If you already have a loyal following, it pays to strengthen the existing positive sentiment around the brand and not become complacent. Here’s how four 2016 Grammy award nominees leveraged social media to their advantage.
Lessons come from different sources and sometimes even from nefarious ones like the life of dangerous South American drug dealer Pablo Escobar. He had a large loyal following that he worked hard to earn. While all of his acts cannot be condoned, he was a shrewd business man who knew how to engage and connect with people.
It is not easy to produce great content time after time. The content has to be relevant, authentic, new and creative if you want to catch your readers’ attention. A tall order for sure. Here are some tips on how your content team can reenergize and draw inspiration from unlikely places.
Send your thoughts and feedback to buzz@cmoaxis.com and help us make ‘Mind Over Marketing’ more relevant to your needs. If you would you like a friend or colleague to receive this newsletter, email us at buzz@cmoaxis.com