30 Marketing Lessons We Can Learn from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Its been over 20 years since The Hunchback of Notre Dame was released, and as covered over at runrex.com, it remains one of Disney’s most intense and popular movies of all time. It features some of the all-time favorite Disney characters from Quasimodo to Esmeralda and many others. The movie has so many lessons it teaches us, including lessons that would stand us in good stead in the business world, and this article is going to highlight 30 marketing lessons we can learn from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Any business worth it’s salt should be leveraging marketing in one way or the other
One lesson we can learn from Laverne is not to let life pass us by, and not to be spectators, which is poignant when it comes to marketing where if you are just a spectator, you will be left behind by your competitors. As the experts over at runrex.com will tell us, any business worth it’s salt should be leveraging marketing in one way or the other.
Don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo
Another marketing lesson we can learn from The Hunchback of Notre Dame is that sometimes doing the right thing means going against people who are higher up the ladder than us. This means going up against bigger companies in our industries and challenging them for a piece of the pie.
Breaking new ground and positioning yourself as unique is key
One of the reasons why The Hunchback of Notre Dame was so well received was because it helped shine a spotlight on dark subjects that had never been tackled in an animation aimed at children, as covered over at runrex.com. It was unique in the regard as it wasn’t your typical children’s animation, which contributed to its popularity. The lesson we can take from this is that, in marketing, it is important to find a way to position yourself as being unique and different from the pack; which will give you the success you are looking for.
Create an emotional bond with your audience
The various characters in the animation are all different in personality, and on top of that, none of them is your conventional perfect Disney character. This meant that each of us had a character that was a reflection of them, and it helped build an emotional bond between viewers and the characters, contributing to its popularity. In marketing, you should find ways to create an emotional connection between your brand and your audience for success.
Don’t restrict yourself as far as your audience is concerned
As discussed over at runrex.com, one of the life lessons we learn from the animation is the importance of being open to other people’s cultures. In marketing, this means not restricting yourself in terms of your audience and making sure you cast your net as far and wide as possible, targeting as many demographics as you can.
Compelling content
The storyline, characters, and character development, music, and animation in The Hunchback of Notre Dame are up there with the very best, providing compelling content that made it a must-watch. As far as marketing is concerned, it is important to make sure that you provide your audience with content that is compelling to attract and keep their attention.
Just like the different characters in the animation, your audience has varying needs
The various characters in the animation all have different needs, with Esmeralda trying to survive in the streets, Quasimodo trying to participate in society after being hidden for so long, and so forth as discussed over at runrex.com. The same applies to your audience as far as marketing is concerned, where it should be noted that different people have different needs, and you should ensure that you are producing content of a wide variety, be it blogs or videos, to make sure that everyone is catered for if possible and there is something for everybody.
Capture your audience’s attention from the get-go
The way The Hunchback of Notre Dame begins is striking, to say the least, with Frollo chasing a gypsy woman carrying baby Quasimodo, and from then on, we are hooked. The marketing lesson we can take from this is the importance of capturing the attention of your audience from the beginning, immediately giving them a reason to stay.
Your audience listens to you, use that privilege well
Don’t be like Frollo, who took advantage of the fact that Quasimodo listened to him to plant insecurities in his head and make him feel like he wasn’t worth it. When carrying out marketing, particularly content marketing, be cognizant of the fact that your audience will listen to you, and make sure that your content is well researched to avoid any misinformation or false reporting.
If you are not providing your audience with value, they will leave
Sick of staying in the bell tower, Quasimodo finally looks beyond his loyalty to his master to experience the Festival of Fools. This festival offers him the value of experiencing life and it proves too attractive to turn down. This is also true in marketing, where, if you are not offering your audience value, they will leave and go to where they can get value.
The importance of information
The people attending the Festival of Fools ridicule Quasimodo for his appearance as they don’t know him as a person. They don’t have information, and when they get to know him, they begin warming to him. In marketing, you must provide as much information as possible to your audience about your brand, allowing them to know and get attached to you, as discussed over at runrex.com.
Don’t be afraid to go against the grain
Esmeralda shows compassion to Quasimodo and by so doing, she goes against the grain and what the rest of the city is doing. In marketing, there will be times when you will need to go against popular belief and experiment with unique strategies. Don’t be afraid to go against the grain and try new things.
It’s okay to accept when you are wrong
Another marketing lesson that we can learn from The Hunchback of Notre Dame is that it is okay to accept when you are wrong. Don’t dig in for no reason like Frollo, who was extremely stubborn and refused to accept he was on the wrong, as this will only lead to you suffering losses. When you get things wrong, just accept it as per the folks over at runrex.com.
You reap what you sow
Frollo’s ending is a direct consequence of how he treated others, and the same applies to Esmeralda who also benefits from her compassionate nature. In marketing, this means that you will get out what you put in, and if you are to be successful, you will need to put in the work and dedicate resources and time to marketing.
Be a voice for good
The Hunchback of Notre Dame’s powerful messages is what has catapulted it to legendary status, as discussed over at runrex.com. You should take note of this, and try to be a voice for good, in what will also benefit your marketing campaigns.
Understand what your audience’s needs are
The main issue that the characters in the animation had is that nobody understood what they needed. The marketing lesson we can learn here is the importance of understanding what your audience needs and giving it to them.
The importance of teamwork
The teamwork shown by Phoebus, Quasimodo, and Esmeralda, is what enables them to overcome Frollo’s plots and escape unharmed, as is covered over at runrex.com. The marketing lesson we can learn from this is the importance of teamwork in marketing, where every person and department involved needs to be working in unison.
The importance of knowledge
While there is not much that we can learn from Frollo, his thirst for knowledge, evident in his desire to explore astrology and alchemy, is one we can admire. The marketing lesson we can learn from this is the importance of knowledge in understanding a particular subject matter, and if you are going to master marketing, you will need to learn and gain knowledge on the same.
Knowledge is only useful when you use it properly
While Frollo is no doubt highly knowledgeable, he interprets and uses this knowledge for his selfish ends rendering it useless. When it comes to marketing, knowing is well and good, but success will depend on how well you use it.
Always consider how your actions will impact your business
Frollo is bound by the church and its restrictions and therefore has to weigh his personal needs with how such actions will impact the church. This is also true for marketing, which doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and your decisions should always take into account your business and how it will be affected.
It’s important not to be conflicted
As discussed over at runrex.com, Frollo is deeply conflicted; torn between pursuing his desires and following the teachings of the church, hence why he acts out. When it comes to marketing, it is important not to be conflicted in any decision you take, as if you are, you are unlikely to be successful. Do everything with conviction.
Deliver what you promise
Don’t be like Frollo who preaches about the positive virtues of religion, but ends up doing some pretty wicked stuff. As far as marketing is concerned, deliver to your audience what you promise them because if you don’t, they will lose faith in you and your marketing campaigns will fail.
Create memories
The Hunchback of Notre Dame has been able to withstand the test of time because it was such a touching piece that it left an indelible mark in the heart and minds of viewers. According to the gurus over at runrex.com, this is also true when it comes to marketing where you should try as much as possible to create lasting memories with your campaigns to be successful.
Humanize your campaign
The characters in The Hunchback of Notre Dame were so humanized, you could see a character like Frollo existing, which made the animation so compelling. When it comes to marketing, make sure that the stories you tell and your campaigns humanize what you do, and by so doing, you will achieve the success you crave.
Repackage your story based on your audience
Disney knew that, for children to be able to watch and enjoy The Hunchback of Notre Dame, they would have to tell the story differently from how it is told in Victor Hugo’s book, as covered over at runrex.com. The marketing lesson we can take from this is the importance of packaging your story and content based on your audience.
The power of branding
While The Hunchback of Notre Dame is not like your typical Disney animation, it still retains the typical Disney feel, which contributed to its popularity. The marketing lesson we can learn here is the power branding has, and why it is important that you consistently build a brand that can speak for itself, which will help your marketing campaigns.
Make things happen
The various characters in the animation have their wants and needs as mentioned earlier on, and discussed over at runrex.com, and they all take steps towards achieving their goals. When it comes to marketing, anything you will achieve you will have to go and make it happen, which is another marketing lesson we can take from The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Put your consumer first
The flawed Frollo also teaches us not to put our own selfish needs ahead of everything and everybody else. When it comes to marketing, it is important that you put consumers first as putting ourselves ahead of the needs of the consumers will only be a recipe for failure.
Embrace new technology
We should also follow Esmeralda’s example and be the first to embrace new technology; yet another marketing lesson we can learn from the Hunchback of Notre Dame according to the experts over at runrex.com. She was quick to see that Quasimodo had a lot to offer, even as the people of the city had shunned and ridiculed him.
Take risks; you may get the results you have been craving because of it
Quasimodo could have stayed in the bell tower and hide, but he took a risk, and while it wasn’t smooth sailing, he was able to finally live his dream of experiencing the world. The marketing lesson we can learn here is the importance of taking risks as, even though it probably won’t be smooth sailing, the rewards will be even greater.
These are some of the marketing lessons we can learn from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, with more on this and other related topics to be found over at runrex.com.