The other night, a friend of mine invited me to attend a special screening of the 1980 comedy classic “Airplane!” with none other than David Zucker, the film’s writer-director-producer, in attendance. I hadn’t seen the film in more than 20 years but it was still funny – I remembered almost all the lines from it. And indeed, so did the audience as the laughter that erupted throughout the theater was a testament to the film’s enduring appeal.

What struck me most was how the jokes, despite being over four decades old, still landed with precision and hilarity. The absurdist humor, clever wordplay, and visual gags that made “Airplane!” a cultural phenomenon in 1980 continue to resonate with audiences today. It’s a rare feat for any piece of media to maintain its relevance and impact across generations, but “Airplane!” has achieved just that.

As I left the theater, I couldn’t help but draw parallels between this timeless comedy and the world of marketing (I am a marketer, after all). Just as “Airplane!” has managed to transcend the boundaries of time, shouldn’t our marketing efforts strive for the same longevity and impact?

This experience got me thinking: What makes some marketing truly timeless? How can we create campaigns and strategies that resonate just as strongly years or even decades from now as they do today? Let’s explore the core elements that contribute to timeless marketing and how we can implement them in our own efforts.

 

No. 1: Focusing on Shared Core Values

One of the fundamental aspects of timeless marketing is the ability to tap into core values that are shared between your brand and your audience. As you might imagine, these transcend fleeting trends or generational differences, and generally speak to the human experience in a way that remains relevant regardless of the era. Think about Coca-Cola’s “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing”[1] or Monster.com’s “When I Grow Up” advertising campaigns. If those campaigns ran today, they’d still have the same effect. The reason? They tap into those shared values and experiences we have as Americans.

To implement this in your marketing strategy:

• • Identify your brand’s core values: What principles guide your company’s decisions and actions?
  • Understand your audience’s values: Conduct research to uncover what truly matters to your target market.
  • Find the intersection: Look for areas where your brand’s values align with those of your audience. Can you come up with something creative?
  • Communicate these shared values: Craft messaging that highlights these common principles.

By focusing on these shared core values, you create a foundation for marketing that speaks to people on a deeper level, fostering a sense of connection that can withstand the test of time.

No. 2: Embracing the Power of Storytelling

Storytelling is a timeless art form that has been captivating human beings since the dawn of civilization. It’s no surprise, then, that it forms a crucial part of the STEPPS framework for creating contagious content. People remember stories. Period. If you tell a good one, they’ll remember your brand too.

Great examples here: How about Under Armour’s campaign I Will What I Want that featured American ballet star Misty Copeland that detailed her early struggles in getting accepted into the field.

To harness the power of storytelling in your marketing:

• • Develop a compelling brand narrative: Create a story that encapsulates your brand’s journey, mission, and vision.
  • Use customer stories: Showcase real experiences and testimonials from your satisfied customers.
  • Create emotional connections: Craft stories that evoke feelings and resonate with your audience on an emotional level.
  • Maintain consistency: Ensure that all your marketing efforts align with and reinforce your brand’s overarching story.

By weaving storytelling into the fabric of your marketing strategy, you create content that not only captures attention but also leaves a lasting impression on your audience.

No. 3: Committing to Aggressive Content Creation

In today’s digital age, content is king. With AI, it’s gotten a lot easier too. However, the key to timeless marketing lies not just in creating content, but in consistently producing high-quality, valuable content that serves your audience’s needs and interests.

For example, think about the email marketing automation CRM company, Hubspot. It creates regular blog and video content and puts on its Inbound event on all sorts of marketing topics, not just those related to websites, email or CRMs. Why? Because such content first and foremost helps the core audience of marketers who it serves. And second, it makes the company the de-facto authority on marketing, building its brand reputation beyond what any advertising could do.

To implement an aggressive content creation strategy:

• • Develop a content calendar and commit to it: Plan your content in advance to ensure a steady stream of material.
  • Diversify your content types: Experiment with various formats such as blog posts, videos, podcasts, and infographics.
  • Focus on evergreen topics: Create content that remains relevant and useful over time. And always think about SEO.
  • Repurpose and update: Regularly revisit and refresh your existing content to maintain its relevance.

By committing to aggressive content creation, you establish your brand as a valuable resource and thought leader in your industry, building trust and loyalty that can stand the test of time.

No. 4: Prioritizing Authenticity

In an era where consumers are bombarded with marketing messages from all directions, authenticity has become more crucial than ever. People crave genuine connections and are quick to spot insincerity. By prioritizing authenticity in your marketing efforts, you create a brand image that resonates with your audience on a deeper level.

What brand does this well? Let’s look at a smaller business that has made it big: Death Wish Coffee. The name alone is funny and bold and its marketing reinforces both qualities with its skull and crossbones logo and the amusing headlines such as: Reap What You Sow. It’s not a “corporate” brand like Starbucks and doesn’t pretend to be so. It’s unique and consistent in the way it markets itself. That’s authenticity.

To infuse authenticity into your marketing:

• • Be transparent: Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your company and its processes.
  • Use original visual content: Create your own images and videos rather than relying on stock media.
  • Stick to your narrative: You can’t be corporate in one area and hip in another. Similarly, you can’t just be a sustainable company but not really inhabit those values or not live up to those values.
  • Showcase real people: Feature employees, customers, and partners in your marketing materials.
  • Admit mistakes: We see it a lot. Companies rarely admit mistakes. When things go wrong, own up to them and share how you’re addressing the issue.

Authenticity builds trust, and trust is the foundation of any lasting relationship between a brand and its audience.

Putting It All Together

Like great comedy, timeless marketing is about making genuine connections with people. It’s about tapping into universal truths and experiences that resonate across generations. It’s not about predicting the future or tapping into any current trends. It’s more about understanding the present so deeply that your message remains relevant no matter what the future holds.

Is your marketing timeless? If not, feel free to connect with us at Marketing Nice Guys. We’re always happy to have a free consultation about your needs.

[1] My aunt Dee was actually behind the creation of this particular ad!