The summer superhit ‘Barbie‘ has surpassed one billion dollars in box office earnings, and not only does interest in the film show no signs of slowing down, but the craze for themed Barbie products also continues unabated. In the fashion industry, the barbiecore trend is flourishing, airlines are decorating their aircraft with the Barbie logo, and reportedly, pink Barbie coffins can also be found. This is, of course, just a fraction of the global madness, a full-blooded barbiemania, which has surprised even the owner, the company Mattel.
For the last six decades, consumers have been purchasing the famous doll and representatives of her entourage (including her husband Ken), but thanks to the film, it has become clear that Barbie can be stronger, can do more; she is a true iconic brand. The BBC recently analyzed her cult status, as well as that of other brands adored and revered by a legion of fans. All brand owners yearn for their offspring to experience such a fate, and the BBC claims that this is due to a mix of strategic marketing, intimate communication with consumers, and a sprinkle of magic at the right place and time.
Selling a lifestyle
One of the iconic brands is Apple, which fans have praised since its founding in the 1970s. Some experts have compared this following to a religion, and PR expert Rhea Freeman told the BBC that she truly feels like a member of that religion, or cult. She is so loyal that she cannot imagine ever buying a tablet, computer, or mobile phone that is not Apple, and she regularly follows the latest events, as well as what the leadership is doing, its marketing and branding activities. Regarding her relationship with the brand, she says it has long surpassed a mere affinity for the products; it is an integral part of her lifestyle.
– The thing with Apple is that it is not just a product or brand. Every aspect of it is well thought out to delight the customer from the very beginning (of the encounter) to usage, to foster loyalty, to create a cult, and all of this is done at Apple in what seems like a simple way – said this PR expert and brand lover to the BBC.
Professor Susan Fournier stated that nothing in this process is simple. Iconic brands touch only the psyche of consumers to intertwine with their lifestyles. They do not sell products but touch on ‘resonant cultural themes’. One such example is the motorcycle brand Harley-Davidson, which did not play the card of isolated behavior (motorcycling) but advertised a special lifestyle. It is, therefore, more than just riding a souped-up motorcycle; it is an experience shared with friends. Or, as the BBC states, Harley Davidson is your fashion style, your society, and everything you believe in.
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Brands that customers perceive as iconic have an advantage over trendy ones. With the latter, they flirt, while with the iconic, they feel almost like with a friend. Such brands have a strong community of fans so that all new members feel welcome, as if they already know each other and understand one another
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American author and podcaster Amanda Montell has gone a step further, stating that iconic brands transcend lifestyle and play on the consumer’s innate sense of self, the true self. In her book ‘Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism’, she states that iconic brands offer ‘well-being for personal identity’ and provide a sense of community. However, younger consumers (younger millennials and members of Generation Z) are the least loyal of all generations and quickly see through marketing tricks. Therefore, brands must offer a promise that transcends the mere function of the product or marketing appeal, convincing them that they offer more, that customers with, for example, this or that makeup will be a better version of themselves.
The paradox of choice
Montell is convinced that such a promise acts as a balm for consumers lost in a maze of choices. They see endless possibilities on social media for where their life could go, which paralyzes them; they are unable (or unwilling) to choose. Brands enter the story with a ready template of who consumers should be, thus lifting the burden of decision-making off their shoulders. In this sense, brands that customers perceive as iconic have an advantage over trendy ones. With the latter, they flirt, while with the iconic, they feel almost like with a friend. Such brands, indeed, have a strong community of fans so that all new members feel welcome, as if they already know each other and understand one another. Additionally, community members have a need to share love with others. They are full-blooded fans who create the story, pass on the cult brand.
However, the story, or the promise they sell, and the intimate relationship with consumers (and their mutual relationships within the community) are not enough for a brand to become iconic. Good timing is also required. For instance, the film ‘Barbie’ could not have been launched at a better time. As the BBC reports, in these uncertain, post-pandemic times, happiness levels are declining, and anxiety is rising. And while that feeling of helplessness and hopelessness may be temporary, the impact of an iconic brand is not, especially if it helps consumers pull themselves out of the mire.
‘Co-owners’ of the brand
Moreover, brands like Apple, Harley Davidson, and Barbie have managed over the years to turn consumers into their co-owners. In other words, they feel that they are ‘theirs’, from the people, part of their culture. This feature is partly true in a financial sense – they truly uplift the entire economy. As the BBC continues, Apple is responsible for gains in the American stock market this year. After the company reported a drop in sales in the third quarter, in June, it rose to a record level, leading to an increase in investor earnings. Musician Taylor Swift, who has undoubtedly become an iconic brand, generated an incredible five billion dollars for local economies worldwide during her record-breaking ‘Eras’ tour. The attendance in cities where she performs has dramatically increased, restaurants and hotels were booked, and her fans, the swifties, spent like there was no tomorrow. ‘Barbie’, on the other hand, has raised the value of the entire collectibles industry. Although collecting dolls is not a new phenomenon, after the film’s premiere, collectors reported a dramatic increase in interest in dolls (collectible items), and the hashtag Dollstagram was used over five million times on social media.
Thus, in addition to the primary market, brands have the power to create a secondary one that profits from their iconic status. As the BBC concludes, in an economy where consumers have an unlimited number of choices, achieving iconic status is a chance for a brand to achieve lasting success, regardless of whether it is a computer, a doll, or a motorcycle. This task is by no means easy, as companies must cut through the noise and convince skeptical consumers that they offer much more; their personal identity. In this sense, marketing no longer serves merely to sell a product but also a lifestyle, a community of like-minded individuals, and even the possibility of building the best version of oneself. If they hit the right moment, there is a good chance they will spend the rest of their lives dreaming only pink dreams. Just like Barbie.
