1 Minute Marketing Advice: How to Last Like a Camry

On his third album, Drake rapped: “I’m tired of hearin’ ‘bout who you checkin’ for now. Just give it time, we’ll see who’s still around a decade from now”

In other words, he was throwing shade at the hits-based approach of many musicians. Everyone wants to be popular and rich RIGHT NOW, with little thought as to what will hold up a year or ten years from now.

The same is true for marketers. Rather than building a long view approach to strategy and tactics through a roadmap, marketers want virality, rushed lead cycles, and results yesterday.

Creating lasting marketing impact shouldn’t be a flash in the pan process. You want a member thinking about your Tweet on the drive home from work. To have a social awareness campaign change someone’s mind.

If you don’t care about those things, then this article isn’t for you. But, if you want your brand to resonate with your audience for more than 30 seconds, keep reading.

Let’s Talk Toyota

Toyota has become an iconic, long-lasting brand. A big reason why is the “Toyota Way,” or the set of guiding principles underlying the Toyota Motor Corporation’s managerial approach and production system.

The Toyota Way is built on two pillars: Continuous Improvement, which takes in the concepts of Challenge, Kaizen and Genchi Genbutsu, and Respect for People, which embraces Respect and Teamwork.

Understanding this universal mission has led to decisions with the long view in mind, creating perennial mainstays like the Camry and Corolla. Everyone in the company — from marketers and creative to assembly line workers — uphold this mission in their daily work.

What is the lesson? You can’t make a message/campaign/image/concept last if it’s driven by things that don’t.

So, as you’re planning content for the remainder of 2021, ask yourself:

• Does this uphold my mission?
• Am I giving my audience enough?
• Will they find this fun, interesting, relevant, or inventive?
• Will this hold their interest?
• Are they following where I want to lead them?

This means your organization’s blogs can’t just be self-serving lists but instead provide a resource of information to your members. It means the emails you send shouldn’t be strictly announcements but interesting conversations and a library of knowledge. It means your website copy can’t be bulky and boring, but memorable and actionable.

Sound incredibly hard? That’s because it is.

The good news is, we’re happy to help you navigate this complex task. We’ve helped dozens of organizations rethink their brand and marketing by going beyond what they thought was possible; more engagement with audiences and more effective marketing, brand experiences, and creative.

Ready? Gently tap this link.