Barbie’s charm and Oppenheimer’s enigma: How marketing makes a difference

Barbenheimer
(Last Updated On: July 21, 2023)

Are you excited about Barbenheimer? WELL, WE ARE! 

Do you have plans for next weekend? Cancel them. The only plan you need to have is to watch two movies by the greatest directors of our generation! Barbie and Oppenheimer! 

Even non-cinema fans are excited for what is becoming an extremely promising weekend. On one side, we have one of the greatest innovations of all time, that had a global life-changing impact and is directed by a brilliant award-winning director. 

And on the other side, we have Oppenheimer. 

See what we did there? :p 

Barbenheimer! Woah! 

Barbenheimer has become a global phenomenon. One day. Two movies. They have intensely different emotions, plots, genres, tones and cinematography – but releasing to audiences on the same day. 

The sharp differences have become a playground of memes and gifs on social media that point towards the friendly competition between the two movies. The social buzz around the differences has acted as a welcome (and unplanned) additional marketing strategy for. the movies.

 

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The different movie styles are also reflected in the different marketing techniques adopted by both teams. Here’s a deep dive into the genre showdown! 

The genius behind marketing the movie ‘Barbie’  

Have you had a chance to see what the marketing team of the Barbie movie has up their sleeve? Here are a few of their best techniques! 

They aren’t relying on just the boring old “trailers” and premiers. In addition, they are painting the town, nay – the whole world “hot pink”. 

They used so much pink in their sets that – there was a global shortage

The team has indulged in cultural conversations, capitalising on moment marketing and has successfully created a buzz that is too hard to ignore.

With over 100 brand collaborations with brands like Airbnb, frozen yoghurt, architectural digest (Where they toured the Barbie set!), social media influencers and so much more. 

Even if you weren’t a Barbie fan, this movie is set to make you feel all kinds of emotions, ranging from hard-core nostalgia to a sense of wonder. 

The powerful silence of ‘Oppenheimer’ 

If Barbie is splashing around in pink and fun. Oppenheimer is going the polar opposite route. 

Everyone knows Barbie. Does everyone know Oppenheimer? Not that much. 

In fact, we are willing to bet, people know the director Christopher Nolan more than they know the mastermind behind the nuclear bomb. 

Yes, J. Robert Oppenheimer was the researcher and principal designer behind the Atom Bomb. You know, the weapon of mass destruction that can wipe out entire continents? 

They are letting the power of the concept, the idea, and the seriousness of the plot dictate their marketing efforts.

They released a trailer, with the lead actor “ Cillian Murphy” appearing in a few interviews. …that’s it. But it’s been impactful nonetheless. 

This marketing strategy is letting the cinematography and the stellar cast speak for themselves. Its anticipation is riding on the known expertise of the director, the fantastic cast, and the portrayal of one of the most powerful events in history. 

And some more trivia that will blow your mind (Get the pun?): There is zero VFX being used in this movie.

It’s one of those times when silence speaks volumes. People who are fans of Christopher Nolan or of Cillian Murphy (or are history fanatics) they don’t need the buzz to want to see the movie. 

Takeaways from Barbie and Oppenheimer’s marketing 

Marketing will never be a “one rule for all”. Ever. 

Every brand will have to realise that marketing has to work for what you are selling. 

Your marketing efforts should reflect your brand values. The campaigns you launch, the marketing assets you make, the partnerships you build – they should all be synonymous with your brand. 

First. Build a brand. 

Sit down, take a piece of paper. And ask yourself “Why am I doing what I am doing” 

The answers will help you understand what the tone of your brand should be. 

Here is a full guide on how to start building your brand. 

Second. Build relevant brand assets. 

Your website design, your logo, your tone of voice, your colour scheme – everything should be consistent. 

Can you imagine Mcdonald’s with blue wrappers for their burgers? No, because you associate yellow and red with McDonald’s. 

Learn more about website design and logo here.

Third. Market smartly. 

Don’t try to sell to everybody. 

Identify your target audience and if there’s a niche that you can capture. Understand their pain points. If you can convince them that you have the ability to efficiently solve their problem – that’s your sales. 

Tailoring your marketing to fit a niche audience will get you more quality leads and sales than blindly trying to promote your brand to the entire internet. 

Fourth. Focus on what is the most important. 

And if there’s anything that you can learn from both Barbie and Oppenheimer –

Marketing is important – but not more important than WHAT you are marketing. 

Keeping working on your product. Make improvements constantly and show your customers that you care and that you are listening.  

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