“I love you, but you have no idea what you’re talking about.” PR Lessons from “Moonrise Kingdom”
Sitting in the theater, we couldn’t help but fall in love with everything about Moonrise Kingdom. We also couldn’t help but notice the lessons it held for public relations and marketing professionals. Hey, we tried to turn off our brains and stop working for a minute. At least we left the office and made it to the theater, right? There’s a lot to learn from this great flick, and lucky for you, we’re going to translate the witty Wes Anderson dialogue into useful PR tips that even the youngest Khaki Scout can put to good use.
“What kind of bird are you?”
Discover who your brand is before you take action. Whether your brand is a sparrow, a dove or a raven, it’s important to have a clear picture before taking action. Determine what kind of brand you have and what kind of customer you’d like to attract. Understand your brand’s identity and values, as well as your goals for communication. Make sure the image you’re constructing, whether it’s a logo, campaign, social media content or press release, is real, authentic and consistent. You’ll please your customers and build a stronger, loyal community around your brand. Everybody wins, and there’s nothing better than that.
“I like stories with magic powers in them, either in kingdoms on earth or on foreign planets. Usually I prefer a girl hero, but not always.”
It’s all about the little things. Wes Anderson clearly knows that it’s the little things that count. It wasn’t enough to fill Suzy’s suitcase with old books. Every cover was creatively designed with illustrations, author titles and taglines. And of course, he didn’t stop there. Anderson created a short film to go with each book. Pretty fantastic, if you ask us. In all of his films, there are layers and layers of detail – layers of opportunities for the audience to connect with the characters.
You should bring the same level of detail in creating a brand. Think of your brand like a person, with certain qualities, likes and dislikes. Before you write a Facebook note or a press release, ask yourself, “Is this something my brand would say?” If the answer is no, don’t post it. And if the answer is hell no, definitely don’t post it.
“I’m on your side.”
Know your brand ambassadors. Wes Anderson knows who should be in a Wes Anderson movie. Bill Murray? Yes please. Frances McDormand? You betcha. Jason Swartzman? Obviously. Anderson knows who gets his timing, humor and style. He brings back what (or rather, who) works again and again. While you don’t want to bore your customers, you also don’t need to come up with something new every single time. Pay attention and do more of what works. It’s that simple.
“It helps me see things better, even if they’re not far away. I pretend it’s my magic power.”
Look (and think) ahead. Suzy used her binoculars to get better perspective. And that is pretty magical, if you think about it. She was prepared, and you should be too. It may seem obvious, but so many people jump into marketing and start making decisions without having a solid plan. Start with a written strategy outlining how you will achieve your goals. Determine what you want the outcome to be and what results you’re looking for. Then work backwards to assemble the plan to get there. Got it? Good. You’d make a great Khaki Scout.
“I’ll be out back. I’m gonna find a tree to chop down.”
Don’t just sit around. You can’t just wait for the perfect, ready-to-pitch story to fall into your lap. Your brand is doing AMAZING things. Let the world know. Create a little buzz. Or preferably, a lot of buzz. When have we ever told you to play it safe?
Host an event or a media tour. Take the time to consider the bigger picture. (Metaphorically speaking, that is. We’re not talking about Sam Shakusky’s landscapes and nudes here.) How does your brand’s work fit into those larger trends? Then write (or pin or tweet or design) the pitch and let that press coverage start rolling in.
“She stabbed him with the lefty scissors!”
The unexpected is memorable. Don’t be afraid to surprise your audience. We’re not saying stab them with lefty scissors. That probably won’t win you any customer service awards. But keep your customers interested. Revisit your marketing strategy. Is it predictable? How can you take it to the next level? Maybe you can’t fill a tent with fireworks, but think about getting out of your comfort zone.
Surprise your audience. Make them smile. Give them something to talk about. Make them DANCE.
So, yeah. Moonrise Kingdom can teach us all a few things (like take a record player and a bullhorn everywhere you go). The best public relations lessons are often waiting in unexpected places. You never know what you might learn during the Saturday matinee between fistfuls of popcorn.