"Staying Alive" - Keeping Your Brand Current
Did you know that John Travolta has much to teach about keeping your brand current?
In 1977, John Travolta wowed audiences with his dazzling dance performances in Saturday Night Fever and stole the hearts of many, including mine, as I watched it with my girlfriends in the movie theatre.
This past December, Capital One leveraged the nostalgia of John Travolta’s iconic 1970s moment to remind us that he’s still got his dance moves and to communicate Capital One’s brand relevance for on-the-go purchasing:
I was moved by the Capital One commercial and decided to watch the behind-the-scenes video. John Travolta and the commercial’s director explain how they blended his Saturday Night Fever character with today’s Santa for Capital One advertising. Travolta mentions tapping into his “muscle memory” to achieve his current performance.
“I rehearsed those dances for like seven months. They’re pretty embedded in my DNA. This will be the first time I recreate those moves onscreen again. So it’s kind of a moment in history here.”
The advertising is an excellent illustration of utilizing John Travolta's and the Bee Gees' consistent branding while creating a contemporary message for Capital One. It demonstrates the power of brand recognition and the longevity of a brand that endures.
I will get into more on brand, yet see below for some fun facts on the Capital One/John Travolta commercial.
Planning for growth requires a successful brand identity. I like to describe branding as “the complete experience that a customer has with your company across all levels, senses, and dimensions.”
To benefit your business, it is important to maintain consistency throughout your brand identity:
Your brand builds trust
Consistency boosts brand recognition
Consistency will keep your brand differentiated in the marketplace
Consistency increases brand revenue
Consistency increases brand profitability
Consider the Coca-Cola brand. It is always evolving and updated with time, never standing still.
When I was young, my brand image of Coca-Cola was shaped by its distinctive glass bottle. The can replaced glass bottles in 1960 to save on the costly need to return bottles, wash them and put them back in circulation. I loved it when they brought back the bottle, stimulated by the industry’s commitment to recycling. You can now buy the bottle in various sizes, all in the same shape. That is branding.
I loved the advertising Coca-Cola used during the COVID pandemic to maintain its currency for the times..
Slater Success has carefully preserved and refreshed our brand logo and communications. We started sixteen years ago with the themes of our brand message being Clarity / Confidence / Success. We maintain our original positioning today but have updated the messaging with Lead / Build / Scale.
We have also kept the Slater Success look constant while evolving and modernizing it with the times.
I genuinely believe your brand has the opportunity to have a long-term impact on your clients and customers today and in the years to come when done right and consistently.
Here’s the fun fact! Judging by the YouTube watchers’ comments, the advertising has had a positive payout for Capital One:
“One of the best commercials ever. I keep playing it over and over. This is genius. I love the girl who he was in the car with in the original movie.”
“I Absolutely Love Love Love this commercial! I am one who usually always mutes Every commercial but not this one! It's great u couldn't have picked a better actor than John Travolta for this! I turn it up every time I c it and it puts a big smile on my face ! I hope you don't take it off after Christmas! Keep up the good work!!”
“The man’s still got it! Excellent commercial Capital One!“
Branding is such a powerful device in a company’s toolkit. When used correctly and consistently, it will contribute to the firm’s bottom line. Keep On Dancing!
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