Shell Games: How to Cash in on Media Trend Branding

$1.36 billion dollars.  That’s how much money the Super Mario Bros. Movie made in it’s total global box office run and it turns out, that’s enough money to get people to notice. 

Branding; it’s the crucial communication step between a company and a consumer, but also, it’s quite the fashion trend.  If there is a branding trend and a company isn’t on it, potentially millions of dollars is being left on the table. 

“It really comes down to public perception,” Susie Gorsch, a Marketing and Design professor at Shreveport Community College explains, “If public perception is that something is cool and fun, and your company don’t have that thing, then your company isn’t cool and fun, it’s simple brand math.” 

Brand Math. 

I miss the days of good straightforward advertising. “You like to smoke? We have cigarettes.  Clean.  Simple.  But c’est la vie, and many companies today feel the same as me.  The constant shifting trends of the social media age have companies jumping at new packages and products every month or two, and it can be exhausting. 

“This is our fifth trend package this year, and I’m nearly exhausted trying to keep up with the constant trends.”  Hans Bergstrom is a Marketing and Design Manager for Mercedes-Benz USA, and he says their current Mario package is the best seller over the last two years. 

“We’ve had to entirely redesign the C-Class, now they drop little shells and if you stay in your lane you get powerups on the heads up display that you can “launch” at other cars, live Mario Kart is a real thing, but frankly I just miss a good engine and leather seats."

The last three years have seen them roll out a Demon Slayer package, Baldur’s Gate 3, Barbie and Oppenheimer packages, (and a very exclusive Barbenheimer Package), Israel and Palestine exclusive paint jobs, Taylor and Travis sweetheart cars, Pinterest Recipe packages, and Hans’ hint at the upcoming package, a warm orange colored car with DJT ’47 on the bumper. 

Other companies known to be following the trend of trend market following, BIC pens, Whole Foods, Sikorsky Helicopters, Champion clothing, and Seattle’s Best coffee.  If more people catch on, it could be a Branded New World.