Unleashing your inner Jedi: Marketing lessons from the Star Wars Saga

Admittedly, not many of us have an enemy lurking in the Death Star, but what most of the Star Wars franchise shows us, is that a relatable struggle is something that we can all bond with. When we are presented with something that hits home to us, we make an emotional connection with it and that is something that should be at the forefront of all your marketing efforts.

Start by presenting a problem, a struggle or a dilemma that your ideal customer is likely to be facing for it to resonate with them. Once they see themselves in your marketing, just like Princess Leia, you need to charge to the rescue, showing that you are the one who can solve the problem (although you probably won’t have too many requests to free someone from carbonite).

The first instalment of the Star Wars legacy began in 1977, and it continues to gather new fans even today. Part of its longevity is because George Lucas and his team have never been afraid to turn things on their heads and bring in something new. The love for little Grogu in The Mandalorian has been universal, the appearance of BB-8 is now iconic, and the introduction of Darth Maul turned the saga on its head.

This is because those behind Star Wars know that we need something new to love to keep things interesting. When it comes to marketing, we know you need to maintain your branding, but sometimes it doesn’t hurt to change your style once in a while and bring in something new to get some revived attention.

Of course, it is not advisable to change things just for the sake of it, after all, not all new characters have been quite as well received (yes, we see you Jar Jar Binks).  

It’s difficult to list the number of ways that Star Wars breaks from convention, but its continued efforts to be innovative and different have served it well over the years.

From characters that never utter a word of English, and creatures with speech patterns that are still mimicked more than 40 years later, to the Princess who refuses to play the damsel in distress, each Star Wars film presents something that deviates from the norm. It is well known that this is the way to stand out, and the most successful marketing strategies in history have used this to great effect, so why aren’t you doing it?  

It’s fair to say that it’s been a rough few years for most of us, and through it all, one thing we have clung to is hope. It is a theme that has stood the test of time, as no matter who we are, and what we experience, hope springs eternal.

It is, therefore, no accident that the first of the Star Wars films (chronologically) was given the title “A New Hope”. No matter what Luke is faced with, whenever the good guys seem defeated there is always a glimmer of hope for us to cling to.  

Whoever we are, most of us are suckers for a happy ending, and Star Wars keeps reeling us in with the promise of a “happy ever after”. It’s what keeps us coming back for more.

Hope is one of the best things that your marketing can offer – whether it is the hope of a better life, the hope of greater health or wealth, or the hope that you stop that annoying noise from the back of your car.

Whatever you offer, we all want the hope that you can make things better for us, so make sure you dangle it, tantalisingly within reach, drawing in the next customer who hopes you are their solution.  

What Star Wars teaches us is that sometimes it is the most basic emotions that lie at the heart of all of us which are the most powerful. Use your marketing to speak to these feelings and you can soon position yourself in line with your ideal customer.   

Whether you are The Mandalorian that is just starting out, or a Yoda that has been around for years, at Koobr, we can help you to be seen and wanted by your target market.