Pokémon’s Insane Branding Strategy
A lot of people who create content on the Internet don’t think big enough.
They’re day-by-day thinkers.
They’re looking for the next viral tweet, the next viral video, the next viral something.
But they never focus on building a brand.
In order to build a brand, you need to think long-term.
Do you know what the most valuable media franchise of all time is?
‘Harry Potter?’
Nope.
‘Star Wars?’
Nope.
‘Lord of the Rings?’
Nope.
‘I give up. Then what is it?’
Pokémon.
Central Park
One day, I was taking a subway from Jersey to New York.
By the time I got to Central Park, I saw a huge crowd running in one direction.
The people in the crowd were diverse.
- Little kids.
- Grown-ups.
- People with suits.
And much more.
Curiosity got the best of me.
So, I began to run along with this group.
Eventually, the group stopped, pulled out their phones, and aggressively swiped on their screens.
I asked one of the guys what he was doing.
He enthusiastically responds back:
‘I’m trying to catch a Pikachu!’
I think:
‘Pikachu?? Bro, you’re 35 years old! What do you mean you’re trying to catch a Pikachu?!’
Rather than ridicule him, I asked:
‘And how are you going to do that?’
That’s when he told me about Pokémon Go.
In 2016, Pokémon Go was at a fever pitch.
Kids, adults, and grandparents were playing the game.
People wanted to live the life of Ash Ketchum.
Pokémon was something that a lot of 90s babies adored as children.
But the brand was not irrelevant by any means.
Pokémon had crept into adulthood.
What Pokémon Got Right
Pokémon was not only going for hits.
They were going for universe or bust.
What was your Pokémon journey like?
Here’s how mine went….
In 3rd grade, I saw a bunch of kids in class trading Pokémon cards.
When I asked them what those were, they explained it to me.
They shared where I could get the cards, which cards were valuable, and how to trade them.
For a little kid, these cards were a form of currency.
My card collection grew.
One Saturday, I turned on my TV and I saw one of the characters from my cards on TV!
Pokémon also had a TV show??
I began watching all the episodes.
I was now exposed to Pokémon through 2 different vehicles.
Suddenly, I wanted to know more.
Was there a 3rd vehicle?
Yes, there was.
Around that time, Gameboy Colors were booming.
And Pokémon had a bunch of games to play.
Red edition, yellow edition, blue edition, etc.
After 3 different touchpoints, I was a fan.
I felt comfortable with the brand.
Here’s an analogy to drive the point home…
Imagine you go on a first date with someone.
1st stop is the coffee bar.
How does it feel in the coffee bar?
‘Very formal.’
But imagine that the coffee date goes so well that you guys decide to get pizza across the street.
In the pizza location, the vibe is more informal and fun.
After pizza, you guys decide to smoke hookah.
The hookah bar is touchpoint #3 and rapport is through the roof!
It feels like you’ve known this girl forever.
Why?
- Because of the different touchpoints.
This is exactly what Pokémon does!
Pokémon keeps creating different planets, solar systems, and galaxies…
Until they have formed their own universe.
How to Apply Pokémon’s Branding Strategy
When I saw that 35-year-old man desperately swiping for Pikachu in Central Park that day, what I really saw was a 90s baby who was reliving his childhood.
Imagine how many touchpoints he had with the brand before Pokémon Go.
To apply Pokémon’s brand strategy, it’s important to think long-term.
Rather than viewing a content piece as an island of its own, ask:
- How can I make this content piece connect with something else within my brand?
This question gets your brain thinking expansively.
Are you just tweeting when you could easily have a Twitter and a blog?
Wouldn’t these two vehicles create a synergistic force together?
Synergy is when 1+1 equals more than 2.
Dysergy is also a thing.
When 1+1 equals less than 2.
So, if you think running a Twitter and a blog will reduce the quality of your content, then avoid it.
Just think:
- How can I make 1+1 equal more than 2?
The way that I do that with the ArmaniTalks brand is to create YouTube videos, blogs, books, podcasts and much more.
Then I have each of the content pieces promote each other!
For example, after I wrote the Art & Science of Storytelling book, I made YouTube videos, blogs, and podcasts promoting that book.
This allows a consumer to have multiple touchpoints with the ArmaniTalks brand.
They go from YouTube -> Amazon.
One galaxy to another.
The Pokémon Brand Building Formula for Dummies:
- Create content.
- Connect content.
Building Your Own Universe
You can never rely on one platform.
One thing to expect is:
- A platform will temporarily or permanently lose its way.
They have different priorities, different stakeholders to appease, and evolving mission statements.
Every now and then, a platform is doing well…
Then they suddenly pull a sneaky business tactic that screws over their creators!
Whenever you’re relying strictly on one platform, you’re setting yourself up for doom.
Whether it be Gumroad, YouTube, Twitter, Skillshare, whatever.
Use these platforms rather than letting them use you.
The way to use them is to create on a multitude of mediums and then making the mediums connect, sort of like what Pokémon did.
Pokémon didn’t just stick with cards.
They had cards, video games, comic books, and much more.
Soon, they had a synergy.
Soon, they had a universe.
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