The brands that last continue to make an impression. It’s not just products, services, or entertainment; building a brand that stands the test of time takes a whole universe. Take Disney, for example; Walt’s empire started with simple cartoon sketches. As of 2024, Disney has 129 films, over 50 original series’, several Disney plays and experiences, a television streaming service (Disney+), interactive websites, 12 theme parks, numerous mascots, cruise ships and hotels, and over 60 billion dollars in merchandise revenue!
The Marvel Universe started very much the same. Stan Lee’s hope at the very beginning was to afford rent on his small Bronx, New York apartment and continue doing what he loved, which was to create stories. From his comic books sprang yet another empire, including TV, film, theme parks, and merchandise dating back to the 1960s.
To a lesser extent, the film company A24 follows in the same footsteps.
Fashion and lifestyle brands are doing the same thing, creating an entire culture around their businesses that stands the test of time, from Nike, Zara, and Ralph Lauren to Gen Z brands like Madhappy. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop started from a simple lifestyle newsletter and grew into a wellness brand offering numerous products and services catering to both men and women.
Tech companies like Apple are no exception, and let us not forget about coffee shop conglomerate Starbucks.
How do they do it?
Disney and Building a Story Brand
While browsing Walt Disney quotes related to this article and the topic of brand building, I realized there were so many relevant examples of how his vision created an everlasting brand universe. I restricted myself to three key points.
1. “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things because we’re curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
Walt Disney
2. “I do not like repeat successes; I like to go on to other things.”
Walt Disney
3. “Times and conditions change so rapidly that we must keep our aim constantly focused on the future.”
Walt Disney
The last quote from Walt Disney underscores the importance of adaptability and a future-focused mindset in brand building.
Walt Disney’s vision also emphasizes aligning with customers and employees, fostering a sense of engagement and connection in the brand-building process.
You’ll see that every tool in his arsenal feeds another; creating a brand is crafting a perpetual and synergistic ecosystem that functions in unison. If you watch a Disney film, you can purchase a Disney shirt, stay in a Disney hotel themed perfectly with your favorite Disney story, and become fully immersed in that story at your favorite Disney amusement park with your most beloved Disney characters.
Disney as a brand is highly detail-oriented; their theme parks, for example, create the intricate world you see on screen, targeting each of the five senses. From the rides to the restaurants, a theatrical experience is created through exemplary set design, interactive displays, and actors that have kept the fairytale going since the 1920s.
Each component of the Disney world targets emotional touchpoints for kids and adults, and you can access them at any time through numerous mediums with a consistent brand voice across all channels. With an ultimately uplifting message, Disney has been inspiring us to believe in magic for generations and, by the looks of it, many more.
The Marvel Universe
“We try to keep audiences coming back in greater numbers by doing the unexpected and not simply following a pattern or a mold or a formula.”
Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios
Taking full advantage of its intellectual property, Marvel has created an inclusive brand with various humanized characters with different skills and flaws, giving the average Joe hope that everyone fails. Still, we are all capable of doing great things. These characters intertwine with multiple storylines, creating more characters who intertwine with new storylines featured on TV and film. Marvel also includes Easter eggs in their movies and shows that tease their upcoming projects. After the credits roll, there is usually a short cliffhanger.
Marvel’s success also relies heavily on its audience. When worn or displayed by fans, never-ending merchandise, and collectibles act as free advertising. Events like Comic-Con generate a significant buzz, and user-generated content before any major release ensures a lasting international dialogue.
From Cult Following to Brand Recognition
A24 is a film distribution company that has developed more than a cult following over its decade-plus reign. Its off-beat releases have a definite signature, and while catering to large, mainstream audiences, they have a bit more flare and an almost independent or arthouse quality. Its clever characters and subsequent modern marketing tactics speak to current trends, providing an ironical look at today’s culture.
In 2016, they even garnered a Best Picture win with Moonlight. When someone sees the A24 stamp, many assume it will be a quality film with at least a few tricks up its sleeve. Since its inception, A24 has developed an e-commerce platform for its merchandise, a paid membership, and a podcast.
Starbucks on Creating a Brand that Lasts
“With every cup, with every conversation, with every community – we nurture the limitless possibilities of human connection.”
Laxman Narasimhan, Starbucks CEO
Starbucks has built a brand that is featured in movies, TV shows, online news, magazines, and more. The pumpkin-spiced latte has become synonymous with fall. Each year, you can acquire a new holiday-themed coffee cup, and they even partnered with Stanley to create more buzz-worthy drinkware. The Starbucks aesthetic, customer experience, signature foods, drinks, and merchandise are cohesive from store to store. In addition to their regular storefronts and coffee products, they also offer a higher-end version called Starbucks Reserve, as well as pop-up concepts and experiences.
How to Create a Brand Universe According to Apple
“Everyone here has the sense that right now is one of those moments when we are influencing the future.”
Steve Jobs
Apple is accessible luxury; it’s products are clean, modern, aspirational, and user-friendly. You can find Apple across every medium, and their products integrate to create a seamless user experience.
Apple capitalizes on the brand ideas of innovation and creativity, not just with its own products but with what customers can do with them. Their campaign ‘Shot on iPhone’ showcased various user-generated content and influencer partnerships illustrating the ways customers could create breathtaking and innovative works.
Even their earlier campaign, ‘Think Different,’ planted the seed that you had the tools needed to be a disruptor in your industry with Apple products. If you own Apple tech, you belong to an exclusive club. Some members of that club will wait in line all day for the newest gear and then post about it on social media. Apple continues the excitement by releasing new versions of its most beloved products each year.
Fashion and Wellness Brand Ideas
“The customer has always driven the business model.”
Amancio Ortega, Zara founder
Last but not least, we have the fashion and wellness industry. Brands like Nike, Goop, Zara, and Ralph Lauren create a culture around their companies. Each emulates a specific lifestyle, from the waspy Americana of Ralph Lauren to the expansive collection of trendy Zara offerings. Take a trip to Spain, and you will find a Zara on virtually every street corner: it’s incorporated into the everyday. You will see Zara in movies, television shows, reality TV, and red carpets. You will see products for men, women, kids, pets, and the home, all offering that same popular aesthetic. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop started as just a newsletter and expanded to various products, services, and experiences for both men and women.
As the years continue, younger generations, like Gen Z, place higher importance on a brand universe that aligns with their views, morals, and tastes. They desire the sense of community and expression that goes along with a successful brand universe. They want to see brands that tackle social issues, like Los Angeles-based apparel company Madhappy, which doesn’t just sell clothes but also provides extensive mental health resources, workshops, discussions, and guided meditations at its Madhappy Café.
How to Create a Brand Universe
New brands must align with their customers to create a thriving community that grows with time based on the assistance of their products, services, and experiences. When starting a brand, businesses need to keep the discussion going and their innovations current by placing one building block on top of another to create a universe that seemingly functions on autopilot, even though there is plenty going on behind the scenes.
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