Rocky Balboa, the fictitious Italian Stallion, ruled the boxing ring in six movies, but his characteristic actions present a great case study for how marketing campaigns can be positioned for success.
Rocky Balboa, one of the most recognizable and best loved heroes of the big screen, continues to remain an icon of grit and an ultimate symbol of the “underdog” story. While Rocky was a champion boxer, his unintelligibility and general lack of book smarts probably wouldn’t make him very successful in the marketing industry. Nevertheless, his characteristics and demeanor serve as excellent examples of how to become successful in nearly any campaign:
1. Never Give Up. It might be an obvious tip, but the second you give up on a marketing strategy, you’ve lost. When something isn’t working, cut ties to it and start something different. Don’t just abandon your entire campaign altogether.
2. Get a Kickass Nickname. Or a tagline. Either way. Rocky was known as the “Italian Stallion,” a concise moniker that conveyed his history and tenacity in a single, catchy phrase. Find one for your company or organization. If it’s good, it will stick and spread.
3. Don’t Get Cocky. In Rocky III, Rocky loses his title because he felt confident and got lazy. Don’t let that happen to you. When you start seeing results in your marketing campaign, don’t set it on auto-pilot and forget about it. You have to continually update your strategy to keep up with your competition.
4. Be the Underdog. People root for the underdog. Find some way to become the underdog company in your niche, and people will naturally want to root for you.
5. Get a Coach. Could Rocky have won without Mickey? Probably not. Find yourself a mentor or an agency that can provide you the professional coaching and guidance you need to succeed. It will help you overcome a lot of common pitfalls.
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!
