What Willy Wonka can teach us about marketing

No, we Squares are not little orange men paid in cacao beans, but we can learn a thing or two from the Oompa-Loompas’ fantastical leader, Willy Wonka.

Wonka on flexibility

Willy Wonka: Invention, my dear friends, is 93% perspiration, 6% electricity, 4% evaporation, and 2% butterscotch ripple.

Mrs. Teevee: [as Mr. Wonka drinks the formula] That’s 105%!

Mr. Beauregarde: Any good?

Willy Wonka: [smacks his lips, then speaks thinly] Yes.

When Silver Square begins working with new clients, sometimes we discover that they have crystal-clear plans regarding what they need. They want us to simply execute their vision because they don’t have the time, manpower or expertise. But more often than not, our perspective on the clients’ marketing and design needs leads to a modified version of their expectations of us. Instead of just the branding and image work they anticipated, we might also recommend website strategy. That extra 5 percent could be the butterscotch ripple and electricity a client needs to be really good.

Wonka on new things

Willy Wonka: Little surprises around every corner, but nothing dangerous.

If you want to grow your business through better marketing, chances are you’re going to be doing some new things. If you don’t welcome a few surprises, then you’re going to stay stagnant. Silver Square clients know that they’ll become more appealing to customers and potential customers by shaking things up and trying new things.

Wonka on silliness

Willy Wonka: A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.

Humor has its place, and it usually has a place in whatever Silver Square is doing. At the least, humor can lighten a mood, make dull things more palatable and inspire interest. Knowing when and how to use a little nonsense is necessary. When you’ve figured that out, there is always room for a laugh.

Wonka on perpetuity

Willy Wonka: The suspense is terrible… I hope it’ll last.

Marketing isn’t a one-shot deal. You can’t put up a website and expect it to sit there and make money. You can’t run a series of ads and expect that to sustain your business growth for years to come. In order for marketing to really work — to generate interest, to grow customers, to stay compelling — it must be perpetual. It must create suspense. That takes hard work and creativity. It takes a dedication to continuously staying on top of how businesses market themselves. Wonka knows this.

Wonka on victory

Willy Wonka: But Charlie, don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted.

Charlie Bucket: What happened?

Willy Wonka: He lived happily ever after.

Don’t be afraid to visualize the perfect outcome. What could be the harm in that?

Check out http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067992/ for more Wonka wisdom.