What Han Solo, Ursula and Vizzini Taught Us About Marketing

The choices and opportunities in marketing are overwhelming:

• Which social platforms should I be part of?

• What will your website look like (and who will build it)?

• Should I start a blog?

At Murphy Marketing, we understand that planning your first step might feel like a huge task — and don’t even think about what happens once you actually take it. Fortunately, there are a lot of resources that can aid you as you get started in the marketing biz… and some of them might not be in the places you would think to look at first.

Yes, we’re talking about your favorite movies. Not only do they offer hours of entertainment, but you can actually learn fantastic marketing lessons from some of your most-watched titles on the silver screen. Here — we’ll prove it: 

Know Your Value – Star Wars: A New Hope

Ah, the original Star Wars movie was the best, wasn’t it? It was full of new characters, exciting developments and some crazy fights with swords made of lasers. But there is also an important marketing lesson buried in this cinematic classic: always stand by the value of your services and offerings. 

In the movie (spoiler alert from 1977!!!), we see our hero, Luke Skywalker, and his mentor, Obi Wan Kenobi, desperately seeking a way off of their home planet. They meet a man called Han Solo, who informs them that he can take them where they need to go, but it’s going to cost them a hefty chunk of change. Luke begins to negotiate the price of Han’s offer, and he even walks away from the table. But Han knows that he cannot only meet their needs, but also go above and beyond the services they are asking for, so he stands firm on his price. In the end, Han Solo winds up making even more money off of the deal than he planned. 

Now, we aren’t encouraging you to overcharge or negotiate ridiculous deals. But your services are valuable, and your clients will see the worth of what you have to offer. Low-balling your price may get you some clients in the beginning, but – as the saying goes – you get what you pay for, so many potential clients may be wary of getting great services for such a low cost. You’re a professional, and your value should reflect that. 

It also helps if your spaceship is super fast and can defeat the Death Star, but that isn’t strictly necessary. 

Make Your Expectations Clear – The Little Mermaid

It goes without saying that we all know Ariel should never have visited the sea witch Ursula, especially without parental supervision. But, in spite of her evil ways, Ursula does present an opportunity for a marketing lesson. Ariel, AKA The Little Mermaid, is tired of life under the sea and desperate to become a human so she can marry a prince named Eric. She knows the only way to accomplish this goal is to engage the services of the local baddie, Ursula, who has magic powers. 

Before agreeing to give Ariel what she wants, Ursula does something that every marketer should remember: she sets clear expectations and lays out the terms of their agreement.

Cost of services: Ursula will give Ariel the legs and life that the mermaid desires, but Ariel has to pay for it by giving her voice to Ursula, which renders her unable to speak for the duration of the contract.

• Expectations: Ariel can remain a human forever if, and only if, she satisfies the terms of the contract and kisses her true love by the agreed-upon date.

• Deadlines: Ariel has until the sun sets on the third day after the contract is signed to find her prince and receive true love’s kiss. Otherwise, the deal is off.

Ursula may not be the role model you thought of growing up, but we’re pretty impressed with her ability to create a solid plan. Every marketing business should take notes from her when taking on a new client or project.

Keep Up with Current Trends and Ideas — The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride is an amazing movie for several reasons, but it also offers an important reminder to marketers everywhere: you have to keep up with your industry. Marketing is always evolving, whether it’s due to the emergence of a new social media platform or a surprise ruling from Merriam-Webster about whether “ain’t” is a real word. You have to stay on your toes if you want to run a successful marketing business — much like one character in the movie, Vizzini. 

Throughout the movie, Vizzini has a favorite word: inconceivable. He usually says it in outrage, as a result of someone thwarting one of his evil plans or beating him in a puzzle. However, while he uses the word consistently, he doesn’t always use it correctly. He begins to yell “Inconceivable!” so often that another character finally comments that maybe Vizzini doesn’t really know what the word means. 

Take note, marketers: it’s easy to pretend that you understand a new trend or the latest grammar guidelines. But the truth is that being in marketing means you never stop learning! You might find yourself redefining an old word or concept to better reflect the current times, or you might realize that your previous social media strategies just aren’t cutting it anymore due to changes in the platform. Whatever the case, don’t let your business become stagnant — and don’t attempt to kidnap princesses in order to start a war between two kingdoms. 

Marketing is a diverse, ever-growing industry — which means you can find important lessons and reminders almost anywhere you look. Now it’s your turn: where have you noticed some marketing truths buried in unlikely places?

Tell us here or head to Facebook or Instagram to keep the conversation going.