30 Marketing Lessons We Can Learn from Moana
Moana was Disney’s 56th animation feature, and one of the most popular, with a more detailed write-up on the same to be found over at runrex.com. Like most Disney movies, it teaches us many lessons, including marketing lessons, and this article will look to highlight 30 marketing lessons we can learn from Moana.
Memorable and compelling content
Moana is such a memorable movie, with a great storyline, unforgettable characters, and amazing music and animation, as explained over at runrex.com. This shows us the power of memorable and compelling content and is one of the main marketing lessons we can learn here.
Have marketing goals
Moana and Maui go to the Realm of the Monsters to search for Tamatoa, the giant crab, and the marketing lesson this teaches us is the importance of having set goals. If you don’t have marketing goals, you will have nothing to work towards and you will not be able to get the success you crave.
The importance of a plan and strategy
Moana and Maui would not have been able to call out the crab if it wasn’t for their plan to have her dress up like a religious acolyte, covering herself in shiny objects, as discussed over at runrex.com. The marketing lesson we can learn here is how important it is to have a plan or strategy in place if your marketing efforts are to bear fruit.
Creativity and thinking outside of the box
Their plan is also ingenious and shows great creativity and an ability to think outside the box, which is yet another marketing lesson to take from Moana. You will need to be the same if you are to get the results you are looking for from your marketing efforts.
You will need to capture the attention of your audience first
Their encounter with the crab and their plan shows us the importance of capturing your audience’s attention first before you can engage with them. as per the gurus over at runrex.com, this is another important marketing lesson from Moana. Compelling content, creative videos, great prices, and so forth will be needed to capture your audience’s attention.
Get your customers to talk to you
To get him distracted long enough to have Maui climb on his back and get the magical fishhook, Moana tries to get Tamatoa to talk about himself, which he is more than happy to. The marketing lesson we can learn here is that we should get our customers and audience to talk to us about them as this makes them feel valued.
If you listen to your audience, you will know what they want
On a related note, the only way to know what your audience and customers want is to listen to them, something the experts over at runrex.com strongly advocate for. Be like Moana and listen to what that has to say to make sure your marketing efforts are aligned with their needs and wants.
Gated content
The strategy of having gated content is one that is increasing in popularity in recent years, and one that can be extremely beneficial to your marketing campaigns if done properly. We learn about gated content from the example above where Moana has to get the crab to talk about himself to get the magical fishhook. You can get your content, and have your visitors give you crucial information that will help your marketing if they are to access the gated content.
Offer something of value
To pull off gating your content, you will have to convince your audience that the content is worth it, otherwise, they will not have any interest. Moana and Maui know that the magical fishhook is of great value to them, and are prepared to indulge Tamatoa to get it.
Be authentic
One lesson we learn from Maui and his tattoo is the importance of being authentic, an important lesson when it comes to marketing. If you are not authentic, or your audience feel like you are not, then they will abandon you and seek out brands that they feel are authentic. Authenticity is crucial when it comes to marketing.
Look for a mentor
We also learn the importance of having a mentor from the relationship between Moana and Maui, as discussed over at runrex.com. When it comes to marketing, if you can find someone who will mentor you and help you with their own experiences, you should take full advantage as this will make you better at marketing.
Get help
Just like Moana needed Maui’s help when they were about to come under attack from the Kakamora, so should you get expert help if you need it. Marketing can get quite complex, and you should, therefore, not be afraid to get expert help if you need it. As always, the gurus over at runrex.com are available and ready to help if you need it.
Offer your audience something different
Moana is not your typical Disney princes; she offers something different and was a breath of fresh air, hence the movie’s popularity. As far as marketing is concerned, you must be perceived as offering your audience something different, rather than what is already out there. If you can manage this, you will be halfway there to succeeding.
Relatability
Moans, as mentioned above wasn’t the usual caricature of a Disney princess; a didn’t even want to be called a “princess”. She was extremely relatable to viewers and this contributed to the movie’s popularity. The marketing lesson here is the power of relatability and how it can benefit your marketing campaigns. Try to be as relatable as possible to your audience and you will succeed.
Emotional connection
Because of her relatability, viewers found themselves attached to her and invested in her journey, wanting her to succeed. According to the experts over at runrex.com, if you can be able to evoke emotions and form an emotional connection with your audience with your marketing campaigns, you will be well on your way to success.
Put a strong focus on what your brand is about
Moana, her character, and her journey are the main focus of the movie, and while the other characters add to its richness, they can be no denying that Moana is front and center. The marketing lesson we can learn here is the importance of placing a strong focus on what your brand is about when devising your marketing campaigns. Make sure this shines out whenever a visitor interacts with your content.
Be open to collaborations and strategic partnerships
Moana’s relationship with Maui teaches us the benefits that are there to be had when you are open to collaborations and partnerships. When it comes to marketing, you can partner or collaborate with other brands, with marketers or with influencers; all of whom will greatly benefit your marketing efforts as per the folks over at runrex.com.
The most difficult paths are usually the most rewarding
Moana chooses a different path and one that is extremely difficult to navigate as she tries to save her people, and in the end, the reward and satisfaction are huge. When it comes to marketing, don’t always choose the easiest options. Don’t be afraid to try out difficult options, as the rewards will be bigger and more satisfying.
You have to put in the work to succeed
Success as far as marketing is concerned will only come as a result of hard work. The same way Moana had to put in the work to achieve her goals, is the same way you will have to put in the hard yards to achieve your marketing goals.
Trailblaze
Moana was a trailblazer, she didn’t wait for anyone else to save her people; she did it herself even when others doubted that it could be done. Don’t be afraid to trailblaze when it comes to marketing. Be the first to try out new tools and technology. Innovate and lead the way, and you will reap huge rewards.
Find out where the problem lies
The reason why fish were becoming scarce and vegetation was dying, was because of the curse placed upon the world when Te Fiti was stolen. This was the root of their issues, as discussed over at runrex.com. You will also need to find out why your marketing efforts aren’t bearing fruit if you are to finally see success.
Track your results
To improve your campaigns and find out what works and what doesn’t, you will need to track your results, just as is seen in Moana when they are checking to see how well the vegetation and the marine life are doing. Tracking the results of your marketing campaigns is crucial if you are to succeed.
Timing is everything
Moana learned that it wasn’t her time yet when the water smashed her canoe into pieces and almost killed her. When it comes to marketing, as the gurus over at runrex.com will tell you, timing is everything. If you get your timing wrong, even if you have great content and the makings of a great campaign, it won’t be successful.
Discover what your barriers are and how to overcome them
Moana is initially unable to go beyond the reef, a barrier that she eventually overcomes. The marketing lesson here is that you should find out what barriers are preventing you from succeed in your marketing efforts. It could be a poor choice of keywords, bad messaging in your ad copy, and so forth. Find out your barriers and find ways to overcome them.
Your audience needs constant nurturing
Just like the coconuts and the vegetation in the movie, your audience needs nurturing otherwise they will leave. Keep them engaged by regularly releasing new and compelling content, from blogs to social media posts and even videos, as discussed over at runrex.com.
Marketing is the magical fishhook without which your business won’t thrive
Maui needs the magical fishhook for his powers to work, and without it, he is only a demi-god by name and not because of ability. Marketing is your magical fishhook, without it, your business will not thrive and your competitors will leave you in their wake. Make sure you are leveraging marketing in one form or the other.
Persevere
Moana encountered lots of hiccups in her attempts to travel beyond the reef but she didn’t give up. According to the gurus over at runrex.com, perseverance is crucial if you are to succeed in marketing as you will need to keep going, never giving up even if you run into challenges.
Long-term success should always come before short-term gains
When Maui steals the heart of Te Fiti, he initially sees it as a success, only to realize that, in the long-term, it was a bad move as this is what leads to the curse that causes the world to start dying. In the short-term, it looked like a win, but long-term it was anything but. The marketing lesson here is that we should always prioritize long-term success over short-term gains which may be short-lived.
Practice
The only way you will get better at marketing is through practice and by engaging in it over and over again, as per the experts over at runrex.com. This is a lesson we learn from Maui who finds out that he has forgotten how to use his magical fishhook, and has to put in hours and hours of practice to learn how to correctly use it again. Regardless of your knowledge or skills, only by practicing will you get better at marketing.
Influencer marketing
The fact that the cast is full of stars, none bigger than Dwayne Johnson who voices Maui, also contributed to Moana’s success as it helped create a buzz around the movie. This shows that influencer marketing can bring great results when done properly; another marketing lesson we can learn from Moana.
As ever, if you need help or advice with your marketing campaigns, then don’t hesitate to visit the excellent runrex.com.