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I remember seeing pictures of the Barbie movie dating back to 2022. There was excitement around the movie, but I never imagined it would become a worldwide phenomenon.
Articles from major publications (Vanity Fair, Hollywood Reporter, Wall Street Journal, Yale Insights, Adweek, etc.) have taken over Google search results and filled our inboxes. And each brand has stepped up its collaboration with the Barbie franchise, from Barbie & Vans to Barbie & Fossils to (my personal favorite) Barbie & Crocs.
Capitalizing on Barbie’s hype as a brand is definitely a smart strategy. But that’s not what I want to talk about here.
Instead, I’d like to talk about the brilliant minds behind the marketing of the Barbie movies, the brand’s podcast, and the lessons marketers of all kinds can take from them.
What brand podcasters and marketers can learn from the Barbie movie
You might think, “I don’t have hundreds of millions of dollars to spend on marketing,” or, “Margot Robbie or Ryan Gosling aren’t the hosts of my show.” I understand that.
But what I want to do is take some of the core ideas that Barbie’s marketing team used to widen the public conversation and participation in their movies, and how they apply them to the brand’s podcasts and marketing. It is a matter of considering whether it is possible.
1. Collaboration is key
The huge number of collaborations with Barbie played a major role in the spread of the film. His partnership with over 100 brands was launched before the film’s release.
Collaborations attract attention, build buzz about your brand, reach new potential customers, drive sales and engagement, grow your community, and fuel user-generated content.
Collaboration is a highly effective growth strategy, whether it’s influencer marketing, guest swaps, cross-promotion, or other forms of partnership. Getting your branded podcast in front of, or in the ears of, a new audience that trusts the original source is powerful.
example: “Take Back Talk Back” on EQ Bank collaboration
The Take Back Talk Back podcast benefited from a guest appearance shared by former host Sarah Zandbergen. She and other members of her EQ Bank team made guest appearances on various shows, recognizing the great impact such opportunities have.
“Listeners trust podcast hosts and pay attention to their recommendations. Name-dropping our podcast on other shows has significantly improved episode performance,” Zandbergen said. Point out.
In one example, a bank CEO’s guest appearance on a banking podcast resulted in a 500% increase in monthly downloads.
2. Don’t silo within native media
Barbie didn’t just live on movie screens. Barbie lived in your inbox, billboards, shopping malls, social media accounts, and even your lunch spot (if you lived in Brazil and ate Burger King’s Barbie-themed burger).
Barbie dolls were everywhere.
The lesson for branded podcasts is that it’s not enough to create a great show. You need to know how to market it. At Quill, we encourage our clients to avoid thinking of their podcasts in silos and instead share their podcasts with newsletters, YouTube channels, blogs, social media, paid advertising, OOH campaigns, and more.
To grow, you need to go beyond your marketing thinking and create a strategy for how you build your audience.
example: How Distribution First delivers episodes and drives growth
Justin Simon is a marketing expert and host of the Distribution First podcast. Simon’s repurposing approach involves converting each episode into a promotional element for a weekly newsletter while maintaining engagement through LinkedIn posts, videos, and carousels.
Simon highlights the impact of this strategy with an example. His first episode earned him 100 downloads, but subsequent promotion through newsletters and social media generated nearly 40,000 total impressions. This 400x increase in engagement highlights the power of strategic content reuse and distribution.
In 1956, Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler introduced the first Barbie doll. Her inspiration came after watching her daughter play with paper dolls that resembled adult women rather than standard baby dolls.
But with female dolls, children can look to them as role models for what they can become in the future. Role-playing can revolve around becoming an astronaut, doctor, Olympian, veterinarian, pilot, entrepreneur, or any of the hundreds of other careers Barbie has held over the years .
In Barbie’s first year, Mattel sold more than 300,000 Barbie dolls, and in 2021, more than 86 million dolls were shipped from the Barbie universe, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
Although not without occasional backlash over the years, Barbie has become one of the most influential toys to ever exist.
3. Tease your audience and spark their curiosity
The Barbie movie was released to the public starting in 2022. But from then until the premiere, we were only given hints about what we were about to witness on July 21, 2023.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, a representative said of the marketing behind the film, “We saw this as a breadcrumb strategy, giving people little bits of the movie to pique their curiosity and then The idea was to generate conversation.”
By teasing their audience, branded podcasts tap into the fundamental human desire to uncover the unknown. This forces viewers to replay while fostering loyalty and encouraging repeat engagement.
example: Impact.com teases viewers with the “Partnership Economy”
Impact.com’s podcast “The Partnership Economy” excels in audience engagement using strategic social media promotion.
The core of the strategy for teasing an episode involves sharing key takeaways and insights to spark interest and demonstrate who the episode will benefit.
Understanding that audiences seek value and relevance, marketers can use these snippets to create a sense of anticipation, attract a specific audience, and make that audience feel seen and catered to. I will make it possible for you to do so.
4. Build connections and evoke emotions
The sea of pink that flooded the theater during the Barbie movie premiere was more than just a color. It became a symbol of unity and shared experience.
People of all ages wore head-to-toe pink, acknowledging their connection to the movie (you could even say you saw people with Barbie dolls tied in their hair).
In the same Vanity Fair interview, Barbie representatives said that while Barbie pink has always been part of the brand, this time it’s more than just a color palette, it’s the embodiment of a movement that resonates deeply with audiences. Stated.
The takeaway from branded podcasts here is the power of connection and shared experiences to evoke strong emotions and build community.
I know I’m not endorsing the entire history of Barbie…but on a more practical scale, branded podcasts create unique perspectives and themes that resonate with listeners and create can turn into passionate supporters of your show.
example: SickKids VS About Building Connections and Emotions
The SickKids Foundation’s podcast “SickKids VS” illustrates the power of connection and emotion. The team takes time to engage with staff, patients and families, digging into their experiences and focusing on what resonates.
By weaving together background, tension, and resolution, we create a story that follows the flow of a classic narrative and reflects real-life challenges and breakthroughs in the medical field. This approach not only makes them visible, but also amplifies unheard voices.
5. Don’t sell your company.Sell your mission, beliefs, and values
The Barbie movie wasn’t just about selling toys. Brand strategist Moshe Isasian told Vox that the focus is not on marketing the product, but rather on the mission, beliefs and values behind Barbie. “It’s about bringing what Barbie represents into our real world.”
This shift in focus is an important lesson for branded podcasts. The power of podcasts is not just in using them as a way to promote your products or services. Instead, emphasize your core values and the impact you want to make.
By aligning content with a larger mission, branded podcasts can create a deeper connection with your audience, not only appreciating your product or service but also connecting it to your brand’s philosophy.
example: How CAAT Pension Plan aligns contributor podcasts with your organization’s goals and mission
CAAT Pension Plan’s podcast “Contributors” aligns with the plan’s mission to enhance retirement income security for Canadians. This podcast highlights Canada’s leader’s contributions to a better future and reflects his CAAT goal of providing sustainable pensions.
Aligning the podcast with CAAT’s core mission ensures that each episode goes beyond promotional content and instead focuses on enriching lives. This approach fostered a strong connection with our audience and built a loyal listener base.
it’s rap
The Barbie movie is more than just a movie. This is a marketing masterclass that provides valuable insights on branded podcasts.
From collaborations and cross-promotion to emotional connections and values-based content, you can take your brand podcast to the next level by applying the strategic marketing approach that made Barbie a global phenomenon.
As Barbie showed, when done right, marketing can be a tool not only for selling, but also for inspiring and uniting people around a common vision.
And just like Barbie, branded podcasts have the potential to be more than just content. They can be part of the movement.
More resources on marketing lessons from pop culture
5 marketing lessons we can learn from Taylor Swift, a brand savant
Marketing lessons from American Idol
Blockbuster Marketing: Lessons from Hollywood’s Billionaires [Infographic]
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