Lady Gaga on marketing and branding

Lady Gaga on marketing and branding

What do Lady Gaga and Steve Jobs have in common? According to her manager via this Advertising Age article, quite a bit when it comes to branding:
"You won't see her face plastered on any packaging or anything. We're comparing it to when Tom Ford went to Gucci or Steve Jobs went into Apple and brought a different thought process and taste level in. We're looking for her to do the same exact thing at Polaroid," he said. "It's not about her putting her name on something—it’s reinvigorating a brand."
As Gaga sets out to reinvigorate Polaroid, it’s worth taking a look at Lady Gaga’s recent accomplishments marketing and branding, well, Lady Gaga. And like most successful brands, it starts with a story.
Lady Gaga’s fans know her story, from awkward teen in catholic school turned burlesque dancer in the Lower East Side of New York to world touring Fame Monster. She has created a community around herself, online and off. Not only do her fans connect with her story, they are passionate about it as evidenced by the hordes who attend her sold out concerts donning Haus of Gaga-inspired garb.
Storytelling is a key ingredient to the success of a brand. In the development of brand experience and community an overriding component is storytelling. Brand story should not be a generic, mass-produced message, but rather a soulful tale and customized approach to enhance consumers whole brand experience.
It’s all in vain if it isn’t real. Consumers crave authenticity; they have an increased desire to obtain products they deem are the "real deal" or most authentic. Authenticity is about more than just a product; it encompasses diverse elements such as language, visuals, context, occasion and values.
At the end of the day, you can't fake authenticity. So, when you share great stories about your brand, don't tell tall tales, make it real! In the end, it will help you stay special in the eyes of consumers.