What Harry Potter Taught Me About Marketing

Last week my life dramatically changed. My friends and I celebrated the end of an era. I’m not referring to my twenty-fifth birthday, but about the last appearance of the “boy who lived” on the silver screen. That’s right, I’m a Potterhead and proud of it.

One of the basic tenets of generational marketing is that each generation is uniquely defined by the culture and events of their formative years.The Harry Potter booksand movies have been a big part of many of our lives. In fact, a whole group of kids, now young adults, remembers boarding the Hogwarts Express — on the page (starting in 1997) or in theaters — when they were about the same age as the three young heroes.

Since I have officially said goodbye to my childhood friend and clearly have nothing left to live for, I thought I would spend some time reflecting on the marketing lessons that can be learned from Harry Potter.

Be distinct.
Can you get more unique than the game of Quidditch? The names of characters, places and foods in the stories are recognizable to people who aren’t even fans of the books. When you hear the words Harry Potter, what comes to mind? Think about it in search keywords: lightning bolt scar, Ron Weasley, Dumbledore. Creating a distinguishable symbol is vital to building a reputable and recognizable brand. Use a character, your logo or a tag line–just be distinctive.

Integrate your marketing.
The Harry Potter franchise has done a good job of playing in different channels. In addition to the books and movies, J.K. Rowlingcreated an experience through video games, clothing and gifts, and even an amusement parkcalled the The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Diversify the ways your audience has access to your message. Don’t forget that YouTube is the world’s number two search engine. Maybe this is why the Harry Potter trailers have millions of online views?

Be strategic.
The slow drip approach of the Harry Potter books was genius. Rowling knew exactly how the story was going to develop. For years, fans asked her how the story was going to end. She never said a word, but she always told the world that she knew the answers.  Each tactic and creative execution should always be strategic in nature and point back to established business goals.

Pull on those heartstrings.
Creating a consistent emotional bond with your customers is the key to building a brand that truly connects with your audience. According to Nigel Hollis, in his article “The Secret to Apple's Marketing Genius”, this is exactly why Apple’s advertising focuses on the emotive benefits associated with its brand: the cool design, how the product affects your life and the sense of community evoked by seeing others with Apple products. The Harry Potter phenomenon is very similar. Even when presented in a creative way, people became attached to situations that they can relate to. Try to adjust your messaging around the personal benefits that your brand can offer.

Leave them wanting more.
The movies are over. What happens now? Many believe J.K. Rowling’s answer is Pottermore. Try creating cliffhangers in the stories your brand tells.

It will be interesting to see how millions of Potter fans react to the epic end of the Harry Potter marketing machine. Despite feeling asthough my childhood was ending on Friday at 12:01 AM, I left the theater feeling quite satisfied.

What other marketing lessons has the Harry Potter series taught us?

Patrick Padley is a beater of bludgers, brewer of polyjuice and a guardian of Gryffindor. He's also an avid blogger, wizard of social media at Digital Evolution Group and serves as the social chair on the ad2 council.