Photo credit: Netflix
The Korean Netflix thriller Squid Game has become such a global phenomenon today. It is hard to ignore the viral memes, social media discussions, and squid-game-inspired marketing frenzy that has taken the world by storm. As more brands jump on the hype, watching the series might actually trigger some hidden life lessons and business-related insights.
Here are 6 lessons on Digital Marketing we deciphered from watching Squid Game.
1. Strategy is Key
In the game of Red Light, Green Light, competitors not only have to move fast, but they also need to move smart. The ones that crossed the finishing line are those who stopped to evaluate their moves, observe the rules and had a winning plan in mind. In the business world, strategic planning is an actionable way to reach your company’s goals. In Digital Marketing, having a well-thought strategy is half the battle won.
2. Creativity Wins The Game
In the Honeycomb game, competitors had to challenge conventions and think out of the box in order to survive. Having a creative mindset means leveraging one’s knowledge to find an unorthodox solution to the problem on hand. In a fast-changing world, survival for a business calls for one to be flexible, think fast, and adapt to changes. To a digital marketer, creativity help push the boundaries for innovative solutions that give your business a competitive edge.
3. Play to Your Strengths
Just like the competitors in the Tug of War game who were assigned roles based on each one’s strengths, a winning digital marketing team is one that is agile and leverages the individual talents of the team members to bring out the best results. Assigning the right person for each role, playing to their strengths and having good teamwork will allow your organisation to stay at the top of the game.
4. Show Empathy and Kindness
In a game where only the fittest will survive, there is no room for empathy. In a gripping twist, some players actually showed their compassionate and empathetic sides. Empathy is probably one of the most important business skills to have. Putting yourself in the shoes of your customers can help you develop better digital marketing solutions tailored to their needs. Compassion and empathy often yield better results and intangible pay-offs.
5. Learn from Your Competitors
Finishing last does not always mean failure. In the game of Glass Stepping Stones, we learned that the person coming in last had the advantage of learning from the other competitors’ mistakes to make better-informed decisions. In Digital Marketing, the same applies. We use competitive knowledge to craft strategies that take advantage of our competitors’ weaknesses in order to improve our own business performance.
6. Take Risks but Play Clean
Players in the game resorted to telling lies, pushing others down, or betraying the trust of others in order to move forward in the game. However, it was the main protagonist who showed the most kindness to everyone that survived and won the game. Likewise, it pays for a business to stay truthful and ethical in its marketing efforts. What goes around certainly comes around.
Are you prepared to do anything to win? If you are a business owner, an entrepreneur or a digital marketer, try applying some of these takeaways to your Digital Marketing Strategy. For less “blood-splattering” lessons, why not sign up for our Digital Marketing Courses at Intangibles Consultancy and learn from expert trainers. Rest assured there will be a lot more tactics and less gore! Click here to find out more.