Case studies on marketing can be found in unique places. For twenty years now, the Spiderman movies have been a staple of pop culture. After the release of No Way Home, it became increasingly obvious that the Spiderverse would make for an excellent marketing case study. Here are some lessons we can learn from the Spiderman movie sequels.
Find Your Niche (and Build Your Following)
Whether you’re thinking about Peter Parker or the movies themselves, one thing is clear: there is a cult-like following. The first Spiderman comic came out in 1962, and the comic universe gave itself a strong foundation to jump off of. 40 years later in 2002, lifelong fans finally got to see their favorite character hit the big screen. We aren’t saying you have to wait 40 years to build your following, though.
When the first ever live action Spiderman movie came out, they were able to create a brand new image. Spiderman was one of the first big screen superhero movies to truly capitalize on modern film techniques- Spiderman was no longer confined to the two dimensional world. This opened the doors for lifelong fans and newcomers alike to experience the fun of Spiderman.
Focus on What’s Working
While it’s great to branch out and try new things, being too different can alienate your audience. The key is to make sure your brand is staying true to the heart of the source material. The first Spiderman was very cool, but it was tame in comparison to what Marvel is producing now. Which is a good thing! The Spiderman movies started by telling the classic story of Peter Parker. After establishing themselves in the cinematic world, Marvel had the space to branch out. However, they never deviated from the core of the story, “human develops spider powers.”
Understand the Customer
Marvel has always understood their customer base. If you look at the partnerships they make with other brands, you will notice a trend. Sodas, snacks, and all things popular with comic book and movie culture. Marvel was able to make it cool to be a nerd, all because they knew who they were marketing towards.
Be Creative and Experiment
Nobody has ever gotten to where they wanted to be without taking a risk. Peter Parker would have never known his full capabilities unless he had jumped off of that first building. Even speaking from an industry perspective, Spiderman has gotten fairly weird in the last few years. Multiverses, space travel, and his induction into the Avengers have all been experimental choices. But in the end, it only worked to strengthen the core of what Spiderman is.
Change With the Times
Superheroes have always been popular, but they’re seeing something of a renaissance. Why? Because they are able to adapt and change. There have been many iterations of Spiderman. Toby Maguire’s Spiderman felt very fitting for the 2000s, just as Tom Holland feels appropriate for today’s climate. Over the course of the last 20 years, the Spiderman sequels have been a lesson on great marketing.
In the beginning of the 2000s, special effects really started to come into their own. CGI and green screen really began to take off, creating a more realistic experience for the moviegoer. As the special effects became more advanced, so did the Spiderman movies. When adult animation became more relevant in mainstream culture, Marvel put out Into the Spiderverse, a fully animated Spiderman movie. The movies continued to appeal to a wider audience due to their ability to adapt to an evolving market.
How Your Brand Can See Results
Spiderman has certainly taught us one thing: with great content comes great results. Applying what you learn in marketing case studies can be an excellent asset to you and your brand. There is no bad source of inspiration, and if you notice something is working for another company, there’s a reason for it.
If you would like to learn more about case studies like this, please keep scrolling through Web Content Development‘s blog. Or if you are ready to take your marketing to the next level, please schedule a free consultation with us!