We marketers can learn so much from pop culture about how to get the most out of our promotion and other marketing activities.

We might not even realise it, but even box-office hit movies can hold key marketing lessons.

In this article, I’ll show you some of the great marketing tips and lessons from some of my favourite films – I promise, it’s not an excuse to re-watch my favourites…

Spoilers ahead – you have been warned.

Jurassic Park (1993)

Richard Attenborough’s character, Dr. John Hammond, is infamous for repeatedly saying “We spared no expense” throughout the film – a line he repeats five separate times in just over 2 hours.

His idea is that the more money he throws at his passion project (Jurassic Park, the theme park with genetically engineered dinosaurs, of course), the more popular and successful the park will be.

Of course, by the end of the film, we know that his project has failed: several dinosaurs have broken out of their enclosures, killed about a dozen people, and he has to abandon his fantasy theme park.

Why did Hammond fail?

Because you can’t fix everything just by throwing money at it.

It’s the same with marketing – ‘sparing no expense’ won’t, in and of itself, guarantee you a successful promotion strategy.

It’s all about what you do with your investments, not how much money you put in.

Pinpoint exactly where your money is going in your marketing, and demonstrate how you can achieve your goal ROI (return on investment).

Lesson learned:
Funnelling money into your marketing will not guarantee that millions of people will buy your product.

Knives Out (2019)

Knives Out is an intricately written story, following a traditional ‘whodunnit’ format that audiences worldwide recognise, whilst adding in its own nuances, with a few unexpected twists and turns.

Rian Johnson’s clear and cohesive storytelling means that not an ounce of the script is wasted – every word is essential.

In marketing, your story also needs to be clear and cohesive, and every word of your marketing messaging needs to have a set purpose.

Treat your marketing messaging as though every word is costing you money – in a sense, it is: whether you’re paying someone else to write your marketing copy, or writing it yourself.

How does Rian Johnson do it? 

It’s such a simple technique that so many of us already use: outlining.

Create those personas, research them, ask questions, and then you can determine where they are likely to come from – where their life story joins yours.

Understanding your customers comes from hours of research – it’s a lot of work, but if you don’t know who your audience is, then you can’t effectively market to them.

Lesson learned:
Consider the different perspectives and experiences of your audience – they’re not just numbers on a screen.

Joker (2019)

I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who cheered when Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck (Joker) shot Robert De Niro’s Murray Franklin.

After following Arthur’s tragic life, his experiences, and how much he respected, idolised and looked up to Murray, only to have Murray completely tear him apart on live television, it was impossible not to side with the Joker.

As a marketer, you have to treat your audience and your customers with respect.

They are literally the reason for your success, and can, if not respected, be the reason for your failure, just as easily.

Now, I’m not saying that your customers will necessarily take the same steps as Arthur Fleck at the end of the film, but consider how much Arthur admired Murray beforehand.

Treat your fans well, and they’ll shout your praises to everyone they know, and fully buy into your brand.

Treat them poorly, and they could be your downfall.

Lesson learned:
Always treat your audience with respect and compassion.

The Prestige (2006)

The Prestige is a fantastic film with a stellar cast (including David Bowie!) and an immersive plot – a must-see, regardless of the marketing lessons.

The story revolves around two competing stage magicians and their attempts to one-up each other, with ultimately fatal results.

The lesson here is to keep an eye on your competitors, sure, but not to let it completely consume your marketing.

Don’t lose yourself in your competition.

Allocate a set amount of time each week to check in on your competitors, with specific measurements and analytics to track, as well as a general gander at the state of their marketing messaging, promotion, and strategy.

By allocating time, you’ll ensure that you get the most out of your competitors without getting distracted.

Lesson learned:
Keep an eye on your competition, but don’t obsess over them.

The Truman Show (1998)

The Truman Show will always hold a special place in my heart – at the time, it was unlike anything else I’d seen, totally unique.

Something that always struck me was how everyone ‘watching’ The Truman Show (in the film) was absolutely enamoured with Truman and his humanity.

Of course, this was before reality TV had become the beast it is today.

But that’s why reality TV is so massive: humanity.

The marketing lesson here is to embrace humanity with your marketing.

People want to buy from and support other people, not big, faceless brands.

Don’t be afraid to show your employees, their personal and professional successes, and celebrate with them.

Don’t be afraid to show humour, even if you are a ‘serious’ brand.

Don’t be afraid to show behind-the-scenes of how you create your product.

It’s not just content filling a void, it’s fulfilling a purpose – to demonstrate your brand’s humanity.

Lesson learned:
Embrace the power of the human touch.

Joy (2015)

Joy is a truly inspirational film for budding entrepreneurs everywhere.

So where’s the lesson for marketers?

It’s in how the Miracle Mop is sold on QVC.

At first, QVC have their own presenters promote the mop without fully understanding how it works.

But when Joy has the opportunity to sell the mop herself, because she knows her brand, her story, and the product, she sells 18,000 mops in less than half an hour.

In the end, you, as a marketer, need to take ownership of your brand’s story – other people can’t tell the story as well as you.

Have confidence in yourself to tell your story, and tell it, and don’t expect others to tell it to the same standard.

Lesson learned:
Take ownership of your brand, your story, and your product, and sell it with confidence.

Fyre (2019)

I would be remiss not to include this one.

While it’s a documentary and not a film in the same sort of sense as the others in this list, it’s still fundamental watching for marketers.

If you’ve not heard about the failed Fyre festival flop, it’s essentially one of the biggest marketing fails in living memory.

The makers of Fyre Festival basically oversold their event, marketing it as a super-luxe, extravagant, once-in-a-lifetime experience, taking over a stunning, idyllic island in the Bahamas, with tickets costing up to $100,000 and promises of “the best in food, art, music and adventure" in opulent accommodation.

To say that they didn’t deliver is an understatement.

Guests who had paid tens of thousands of dollars for the festival were greeted with a building site, soggy mattresses in flimsy tents, meals of slices of cheese on bread, and sheer confusion.

Fyre Festival is a massive lesson of what not to do in marketing – absolute marketing infamy.

Do not oversell your product.

Don’t set customer expectations too high that you can’t reach them.

Know your audience, and know your product, and work within those boundaries.

If your product doesn’t reach your customer’s expectations, you simply won’t grow – you’ll damage your brand.

Lesson learned:
Be realistic with the expectations you’re presenting to your customers.

Inside Out (2015)

I’ll end this list with a film I think everyone should watch: Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out.

No, not just because I’m a Disney addict, but because it’s a beautiful, simple, yet evocative way of portraying the inner-workings of the human mind.

The mechanics explored in Inside Out, with the influence of the characters’ emotions and their personality islands are a great way to put together your customer personas.

What would your customers’ personality islands be like? What would they focus on?

Which emotion would lead them, and which emotions would draw them to your brand?

It’s also a great way to build your brand, and the ‘character’ of your brand.

If your brand was a person, what would their personality islands be? What’s important to your brand?

Which emotions lead your brand, and why?

It’s important to consider the psychological aspect of marketing – the best marketer is one who knows and understands their customers and their audience just as well as they understand and know their brand.

Lesson learned:
Explore the psychological aspects of marketing.

Bonus lesson learned:
Jingles (however annoying) are mightily powerful. *TripleDent gum will make you smile, TripleDent gum, it lasts a while…*

My ultimate takeaway from this article is that marketing inspiration and lessons are all around you – from the programmes you binge on Netflix to the music you listen to, and the food you eat.

Next time you’re watching a film, think about what you’re learning from a marketing perspective from it, and work that lesson into your marketing strategy.

Life’s an experience and an experiment, so live it, and always keep exploring!