3 Marketing Insights You Can Learn From the Circus
To keep a brand fresh, it must inevitably evolve. However, as the former VP of Sales & Marketing of the Retail Sales Division at Cirque du Soleil, Alma Derricks knows that not every trend is suited to reach all customers in every industry. The trick is to pinpoint the opportunities in new trends that will work for your brand, rather than applying any and all new trends that come down the pike. Having helped market the world’s best-selling circus, Derricks now shares three valuable insights for keeping your marketing and brand strategy fresh.
To hear more about brand positioning, switching over from organic growth, and working at the circus, tune into the latest Renegade Thinkers Unite podcast with Alma Derricks, former VP of Sales and Marketing of the Retail Sales Division at Cirque du Soleil.
1. Ask All the Right Questions
Take advantage of the opportunity to evolve your brand by asking every question you need answered, without regard for how things “used to be done.” Identify the competitive market and look at how other companies are doing things; think of this as a clean slate to educate yourself. For example, Cirque du Soleil depended on organic growth for 30 years. When they experienced a change of ownership, Derricks also recognized that their competition had stepped up in a big way. It was her job to find a way to keep Cirque top-of-mind for customers.
2. Flip the Brand Script
In the case of Cirque, which had several different shows, each with its unique aspects, Derricks needed to communicate how each show was the only show customers would have to see. Part of fulfilling this need was to acknowledge that customer expectations had changed since their first few shows. If your brand has multiple products or services, make sure your customers know the differences between your offerings. Position your brand in a way that keeps their expectations in mind.
3. The New and Improved You
Your product or service can be top-of-the-line, but it also needs to be top-of-mind. One of Derrick’s proudest strategies in reviving the Cirque du Soleil brand was refreshing one of its most popular shows: The Beatles’ “LOVE.”
She and her team revamped the music, show, and visual identity of the production using advancements in technology to enhance the experience. As the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”—just make sure to polish it up and maybe give it a face-lift from time to time!