Four years on and the movie Frozen still remains a firm favourite in the hearts of many. Apart from its catchy songs, heartwarming tales and vibrant display of colours, Frozen can teach us many important lessons such as the importance of family, staying true to yourself and dreaming big.
Little did you know that there’s a lesson that brands and corporates can learn from this movie as well. Hint: It’s in the famous lines that every child and adult (like it or not) know by heart by now: “Let it go, let it go, Can’t hold it back anymore”.
Let go to let’s go
That’s right. Let it go. Let your brand go. Don’t hold it back anymore. Learn to let go of the reins of your brand and stop your obsessive control over it. It may sound scary to marketing professionals and brand custodians who swear by the holy grail of the Brand Guidelines–bravely fending off people, and rightly so, who encroach on the clear space of your logo amidst other deadly sins. However, as in the case of Helicopter Parenting, obsessive control and supervision can be stifling and smother your brand.
Learn to let go and see where your customers take you. As the saying goes, it’s not what you say about your brand that’s important but what people say about it. In this digital age and with the rise of social media, it’s impossible to control what people say about you and it’s okay. Instead, brands which fail to evolve, adapt and grow with their customers will eventually get left behind.
#nofilter
Being perfect is tiring and boring. When your brand sounds too perfect like a Stepford Wife, it loses authenticity and comes across as phony. Remove the makeup, embrace the flaws and be comfortable in your own skin.
Power to the people
If you can’t beat them, why not join them? Collaborate with employees and customers on the creation of ideas, content, products and design. Provide consumers with platforms to share their tips and tricks on getting the most from a product. Let consumers make the product their own–offer customisations, allowing consumers personable options to suit their unique needs.
Don’t stay Frozen in the times
Instead of micromanaging and passively reacting to consumers, take an active step and engage consumers and employees to be part of the conversation and help shape the brand. Sometimes your brand may get away from you and things might not turn out the way you envision it. But take a leap of faith and you’ll be surprised that the cold never bothered you anyway.
(Banner image credit: Disney)