Over the holidays a few years ago we took our boys to see the most recent Star Wars movie. It was likely going to be the highest grossing film of all time and my children (who did not grow up in a Star Wars focused household) are now locked in with lego, video games, clothes and more! But before we enjoyed the new release, we watched all six of the previous Star Wars movies while spending Christmas at our cabin. Every afternoon we popped popcorn and put a movie on. It was the perfect way to relax on the holidays and all generations loved it! It amazed me to see my children enjoy something that has been in existence for a long time and enjoyed by previous generations. And that got me thinking… how do you create a business that appeals to three generations?

To survive and thrive in appealing to three generations, your business must pay attention to the Star Wars Marketing Model. Below are three generational aspects to keep in mind and focus your marketing work towards as you move forward, ensuring your company will have continued success. The key is to not give up! There’s another generation here with new expectations and fresh opportunities.

 

Business in 1977

Star Wars rode in on the public obsession with space ever since the USA landed on the moon. Thus, this was a timely release of a space-based movie series. Looking back to the late 70’s and early 80’s, advertising was all about the TV audience. The 1950’s had focused on print (few had televisions in their homes yet) but now TVs were all the rage and pretty much everyone had one. Placement and creativity of ads revolved around the demographic watching.

“In 1976, with more than 69 million U.S. homes owning at least one TV set and viewing-per-home topping six hours per day, advertiser spending reached nearly $5.9 billion.” Read more from Ad Age here

Companies used the comparative method to multiply sales, sometimes naming their competitor in the ad. It proved a successful way to grab the viewers attention and encourage the purchase of their product.

 

 Business in 2000

Jump ahead 20 years and you’ll find yourself on the verge of a different advertising generation. Star Wars decided to release their next set of movies! They have now adapted to special effects and other upgrades to appeal to the newest generation. Advertising on TV is now incredibly expensive, but the internet audience has taken off! Everyone has an email address and is surfing the web. Ad spending is going towards banner ads and email marketing. Yes, everyone still watches TV but the internet is being used every day, all day by millions of people. Time to retarget and get where the consumer is!

“The object of the game was to catch people where they were starting to spend more and more of their time – online.” Read more from Radical Trust here

Companies are responding and placing thousands of dollars into online advertising on websites with high traffic from their target demographic. The quality of traffic was yet to be determined in this time period, but it was big business for advertisers!

 

Business TODAY

There is a new director in town and Star Wars is getting a new lease on life. Even though some fans are hesitant, the final chapters now releasing have created a lot of hype and expectation! This is exactly what’s happened for advertisers today. They don’t know whether to be excited with the new folks in town or hesitant to jump on board since being online has now taken on a whole new meaning!

If you want to advertise today, you need to be multi-faceted like the Star Wars Marketing Model we’ve explained. TV and the internet have been combined into a force to be reckoned with called social media. Commercials on TV now include social media links and an invitation to follow the company online. On a company’s Facebook page, you’ll find links to watch their recent video clips on YouTube. It’s all integrated into something called an online presence!

George Lucas decided his time was done as director and Star Wars needed fresh eyes and a bigger wallet. If you feel like your days are over because you can’t afford TV ads or compete with the massive email lists a competitor has built, don’t give up just yet! Star Wars got another lease on life and so can you. A website along with specific social platforms and a blog can quickly set your company up for success. Get ready for the challenge and take advantage of the huge (and affordable) customer base available today!

 

 

Need help building your online presence? Contact us here to get started or email us at info@metron.ca