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Your brand needs to be a Superhero

In case you hadn’t noticed, superheroes are all the rage right now. When they’re not flying onto big screens, they’re shooting off billboards and bursting out of toyshops. With Batman and Superman currently battling it out in cinemas, and their Marvel buddies Captain America, Thor and Iron Man never venturing too far from their movie franchises, the trend shows no signs of slowing down.

But why do we love superheroes so much? Yes, they’re straight-arrow do-gooders who regularly save the world. But it’s more than that. They inspire ordinary people to be bigger, better, more heroic. They captivate the imagination. Simply put, they are the ultimate brands. 

As the founder of Fludium, a strategic branding agency in the UAE, I’ve conducted a lot of research into the world’s most successful brands. In doing so I have identified some revealing similarities shared by them and some of our favourite superheroes. Here are six key traits shared by great brands and superheroes – and what companies can learn from them.

Great brands, like superheroes, are steadfast. Think of GE and Wolverine. Both are unwavering, consistent and determined in their respective quests. GE’s to innovate for the greater good, Wolverine to find out who he is. The lesson is to be resolute and determined no matter the odds stacked against you.

Red Bull and Batman are both courageous. The energy drink’s Stratos project, in which it sponsored Felix Baumgartner’s jump to earth from a helium balloon from space in 2012, was a risky endeavour but paid off in phenomenal coverage for the brand. Batman being human and therefore not immortal, is brave in the face of overwhelming challenges and risks to his life.

Be authentic like Coca-Cola and Superman. Both are ‘the original’ in their respective arenas. Coca-Cola is 124 years old and Superman first appeared 78 years ago. Superman is iconic, effectively shaping the superhero genre and is an American cultural icon. Coke shaped the beverage industry and is arguably the world’s most recognised brand.

Great brands, like great superheroes, are purposeful. Look at Toms and the Avengers. Toms gives a new pair of shoes to a poor child every time it sells a pair, and every time it sells a pair of glasses it uses part of its profits to save the eyesight of a person in a developing country. The Avengers have a noble purpose; they must unite and learn to fight as a team in order to stop Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.

Always stick to your principles. Excellent examples of this are Google and Spider-Man. They live their values through their actions, even when the villains (or lawyers) are descending. Google believes in ‘doing the right thing; don’t be evil’ and that ‘you can make money without doing evil’. Peter Parker, as Spider-Man, vows to protect the innocent and combat lawlessness, and lives by his oft-quoted principle ‘with great power comes great responsibility’.

Truly great brands, like superheroes, also evolve. That’s not to say they radically alter their personas, they don’t. But they stay relevant, move with the times and get regular upgrades. Did you know that since it was first launched, Coca-Cola has revamped its logo no less than nine times? Check out the original 1960’s caped crusader, and compare him with today’s Dark Knight. Black underpants over grey leggings have been replaced by microfibre body armour and a rippling six-pack. But both heroes are still unmistakably Batman. So the message is this; stay fresh, watch trends and tweak your branding to fit fashions. But don’t do it too often, and definitely not too radically. Remain true to yourself, just revamp the metaphorical wardrobe occasionally – and do it with style.

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