Tintin and the adventures of a long lasting brand

The arrival of Tintin on the silver screen; has already caused thundering typhoons at the box office worldwide.

But as the young intrepid explorer, tries to find paths into the hearts of an entirely new generation, there are pertinent lessons that Herge's iconic character uncovers.

These insights assume relevance for brands, trying to make their own statement, in an increasingly over cluttered environment. And illuminate scenarios, where striving to spot the uniqueness of a brand, is as thankless a task, as trying to tell the Thomson twins apart.

For as Tintin shoots off with purposeful poise, in the quest to seek the ultimate marketing treasure-of a newer captivated audience, his endeavors are worth recording. And they need to be revisited, especially by an eager branding fraternity, ever seeking the elusive elixir for rejuvenating their brands.

Turning back the clock with aplomb

Many brands might shudder at the idea of going back in the past. In an era where every brand is trying to run streets ahead; any kind of backward step might be seen as detrimental. The fear of being labeled as 'dated' is an overwhelming one. And yet this very 'rat race' kind of mindset, leads to a frenzy of 'me too sameness'.

The Tintin world, set in the early part of the twentieth century, has a very distinctive charm and flavor. It showcases an absence of modern day gadgetry (for one), and hence the usage of old fashioned intelligence, to solve problems. There is a wide eyed naiveté, to the characters perspective on the world. And that is precisely what makes it stand so compellingly apart. Going back in time, might not just hold the promise of nostalgia, but for some brands can also serve as building a strong conversational platform, for the future.

Refusing to digress from the core theme

The Tintin saga represents an unwavering dedication, to the central premise of the 'innocent pursuit of adventure'. There is never a deviation from the primary storyline, to break into an item number (imagine that!), or absolutely any other kind of subroutine, which does not add to the main storyline. And that undivided focus is something truly worth emulating.

These days many brands display the attention span of a child in a candy shop; when it comes to staying true to their primary theme and positioning. A host of unnecessary associations, undertaken sometimes under the promise of glamour and media coverage, typify such distracted mindsets. The Tintin example of never looking away from the task at hand; is perhaps something most brand teams can take inspiration from, when it comes to their own quests of larger market shares.

Working around restrictions with memorable results

Captain Haddock is easily one of the most loved characters in all comic book fiction. But beneath the swear words that so colorfully personify the man, there lies a story of looking at a problem as an opportunity. When Herge was faced with the need to tone down the language of the sailor, keeping the young readers of the Tintin comic series in mind, he brilliantly substituted what was tending towards profanity, with an abusive idiom which was completely Haddock's own. And the rest as they say is history.

Brands and marketers keep facing obstacles, to their progress every single day. But trying to see the opportunity, that lies lurking behind those barriers, is perhaps an invaluable mindset that marketing teams need to develop. For once those 'billions of blue blistering barnacles' are cleared, a host of marketing innovations might present themselves.

Collaborating to take on a greater challenge

It is interesting to note, that it took the combined talents of Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, to bring Tintin to the silver screen. Perhaps the task of doing justice to a truly iconic character; demanded that two of the resident geniuses of Hollywood, found an excuse to collaborate. And viewers all over the world were more than happy to sample the end product.

In an era where competition is fierce, there will still always be opportunities for companies and brands to come together. And these kind of lateral partnerships are strategic tools of the new age. They present both brands the possibility of a synergistic offering, and the chance to take on a large consumer base with pooled resources. And when this happens, often it results in an extremely rewarding situation for everyone involved.

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Finally Tintin offers not only a chance to relive fond childhood memories, but also a few parallels for the branding world to chew on, as Snowy would heartily agree. Reliving his exploits might just enliven the daily adventures of the white collar world, seeking the mysterious secrets of the great brand empires...

(This article was first carried in The Hindu Brandline)