James Bond has starred in countless novels and films, but his personality and actions reveal a handful of sharp qualities that marketers should incorporate into their strategies.
James Bond, sometimes known as Agent 007, has enthralled readers and amazed filmgoers for more than 50 years. Despite being portrayed by radically different actors and engaging in increasingly complex storylines, his character and demeanor have remained relatively stable over the years. Today, we’re taking a look at the marketing lessons you can learn from James Bond—if you look at him from the right angle:
1. Be Stylish. You don’t have to dress in the nicest clothes or drive the fanciest cars, but you do have to have a bit of class and taste in order to be successful. Keep your image ideally and tastefully designed, and if you add new features or elements to your campaign, be sure to keep them stylishly in line.
2. Cut Your Losses if You Need To. Not everything’s going to go exactly as you planned it. There will be times when you go along with a strategy for a few months and find very little reward in it. If that’s the case, don’t be afraid to cut your losses.
3. Update Your Look, but Stay Consistent. James Bond has gone through a lot of changes over the years, played by many startlingly different actors, but he has always kept the same suit and the same demeanor. When it comes time to rebrand, make sure you keep the hallmarks of your original design.
4. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize. Never forget your main objective. For most marketers, that’s a certain number of leaves or some measurable ROI.
5. Break the Rules—If Only Slightly. You won’t always be able to see great results by following the rules. Step out of bounds every once in a while and see what happens.
If you liked this entry in our “marketing tips to learn from _____” series, be sure to check out our entries on Iron Man, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Terminator, and Lex Luthor, too!
