Deadpool: A killer masterclass on the use of archetypes
‘Deadpool’ is set to hit gross box office sales of $708 million this weekend, edging closer to the all time R-rated record of $724 million reached by ‘The Matrix Reloaded’ back in 2003. Mohawk takes a closer look into how Marvel’s recent release has reached such a feat and what role marketing had to play in this.
With over 30 theatrical releases since 2010, and 35 planned releases over the next 5 years, Hollywood has been saturated with comic book adaptations in recent years. And let’s be honest — everyone has gotten a little bored. The films have become predictable, formulaic and repetitive to the point where they are deterring even the most loyal fans. Recent releases such as ‘The Fantastic Four’ captured ‘Worst Director’, ‘Worst Remake’ and ‘Worst Picture’ at the Razzies last year, and only managed a meagre $64 million at the US box office.
So how has ‘Deadpool’, one of the lesser-known superheroes, managed to put fan’s bums back on seats? We believe the answer is in how well the concept of archetypes has been applied.
Before we begin let’s look at the hard stats…
Since its premier release ‘Deadpool’ — with its anti-hero attitude and R-rating — has smashed box office records, achieving the biggest US debut for a R-rated film netting a whopping $132 million in its opening weekend. This is also the biggest weekend opener for a first time director (Tim Miller) and the biggest X-Men debut film to date. As one of the least known Marvel characters, this is an impressive feat.
Possibly more important than the film’s success is how it has refreshed a wearisome genre. By going back to the core principles of entertainment and staying true to its comic book origins, it has inspired the production of lesser known comic book characters such as Black Panther, Shazam, Cyborg, and Deadpool 2 (already greenlit).
What is an Archetype, and how do they contribute to Deadpool’s success?
Carl Jung coined the term ‘archetype’ in 1919, describing them as ‘collectively-inherited unconscious ideas, patterns of thought, images, etc. that are universally present in individual psyches’.
Margaret Mark’s seminal 2001 book ‘The Hero And The Outlaw’ took these principles further, applying them to brand marketing, suggesting that these ‘patterns of thought’ in our subconscious enable us to create connections between characters/brands and their audience. By using these archetypes to model brand personalities that answer a deep consumer need, we can create stronger brand/consumer connections whilst standing out in a crowded market.
Indeed, the use of clearly identifiable and instantly recognisable archetypes in ‘Deadpool’ has satisfied our need for a fresh superhero film franchise, whilst differentiating the film from its competitors.
From the outset it is clear that ‘The Merc with the mouth’ is a comedic anti-hero, characterised as both the ‘Outlaw’ and the ‘Jester’ archetypes. By establishing itself within these two archetypes, ‘Deadpool’ instantly set itself aside from the likes of Spiderman, Superman and Batman.
Margaret Mark defines the ‘Outlaw’ archetype as having the core desire of revenge and to destroy what isn’t working for them, with the strategy to disrupt. These core desires and attributes not only drive the narrative of the story but also the way in which our ‘anti hero’ takes on his quest.
The secondary archetype, ‘The Jester’, has core desires to live in the moment with full enjoyment, to enlighten the world by making jokes and spreading joy. These attributes are evident throughout the film through Deadpool’s sarcastic and sadistic sense of humour.
In this way, Deadpool perfectly demonstrates how archetypes should be used: they not only drive the narrative and overall message of the story, but they also contribute to the way in which the story is told.
How can we apply archetypes to marketing strategies to repeat Deadpool’s success?
The key characteristics of ‘Deadpool’s archetypes have also been masterfully applied to the advertising and marketing of the film itself. Outlaw characteristics of non-conformity have manifested themselves in a refusal to accept category norms in film advertising; whilst the jester characteristics of joy spreading have produced promotions specifically designed to make audiences giggle. Take the emoji billboard advert, for example, which would only be understood if you were previously aware of the film.
The advertising then goes one step further, even defying film genre stereotypes, creating this billboard (right). With Rom-Com characteristics, it is clearly poking fun at the fact that the film was set to release on Valentine’s day weekend — a noteworthy marketing ploy in itself.
This activity was followed up with reactionary marketing appearing across print ads, digital display and social media. The marketing, much like the ‘Outlaw’ archetype, create intrigue and gain audience attention through disruption.
(Mild spoilers follow in the next three paragraphs!)
The fun, humorous and self aware approach to marketing works for ‘Deadpool’ as it corresponds with character traits featured in the film/comic. ‘Deadpool’ is aware of himself as a fictional entity, often breaking the fourth wall in order to talk to his audience.
Wade Wilson, the film’s lead character, is diagnosed with cancer, which causes him to make some bad decisions. Throughout this time however he maintains a sarcastic and positive attitude.
This attitude was also represented in Deadpool’s approach to World Cancer Day (above). The word ‘lady lumps’ and the hashtag #touchyourselftonight, offer a light hearted approach to the world around us. Just as the Jester would want, the messaging is positive, spreading joy alongside a more serious message of cancer awareness.
These Jester characteristics of positivity affecting the world through humour and spreading joy are further emphasised by their marketing activity across social media. ‘Deadpool’ released a range of emojis, which were promoted through ‘fake’ conversations between ‘Deadpool’ and celebrities such as Kim Kardashian as well as fake Tinder profiles.
Finding success in Archetypes
Using archetypes to their full extent has allowed ‘Deadpool’ to successfully generate mass awareness in a highly competitive environment with a relatively low budget ($58 million in comparison to ‘Fantastic Four’s $120 million or ‘X-men: Days of future past’s $200 million budget), as shown in the diagram below. But what are some best practises to maximise the effectiveness of archetypes?
Key points and considerations to maximise the effectiveness of using archetypes:
- Archetypes are not only established within narrative or film. Take them further into the character of the marketing and advertising of the brand.
- What archetype characteristics enable your brand to stand out from competitors?
- Let the brand speak its mind — archetypes are essentially personality, so let the brand’s personality come through. Often when a category or genre gets tired, the audience want to reconnect. In this instance, ‘Deadpool’s honesty and sense of humour are refreshing to the audience and make them connect with the character and the genre again.
- Don’t be afraid to be self aware if it fits the brand— once more, this honest approach is not only refreshing for the audience but also gives greater insight into the brand or film. An easier way in is to talk about honesty first.
- Think about media placement too — what media platform best helps to portray your archetype and brand?
- How would your archetype relate to the audience — this is not only relevant in regards to subject matter but also in terms of the tone of voice in which the audience is spoken to. ‘Deadpool’ relates to its audience through being funny and spreading joy, even when the subject matter is less than uplifting, such as cancer awareness.
At Mohawk, we like to use archetypes in order to help our clients such as Schroders and Legg Mason achieve differentiation in their markets. By finding out how consumers relate to archetypes and understanding how best to reach them, we can help them surpass their marketing goals.
An article by Billy Boone, Adam Kirk and Michael Coetzee
