Playing Against Type

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Vin Diesel have all established themselves in Hollywood as muscle bound tough guy action heroes. (With names like Arnold, Sylvester and Vin, I guess it was either learn to be a tough guy or end up being an accountant!) Every marketer knows it’s crucial to make strong choices in branding ourselves and our stuff. (See Dec 8 post on charicatures.) Yet, many entrepreneurs (and larger companies) are afraid of appearing one dimensional. It don’t gotta be that way.

All three of these guys have all made big bucks on “Tough Guy Makes Nice” movies, breaking the “Never Follow Kids and Dogs” rule and showing us their softer sides. Movies like Daddy Daycare and The Pacifier are popular for the same reason as “Behind the Scenes” TV shows and magazines like People are popular. It’s always fascinating to uncover an extra dimension to someone or something you’re already interested in.

In showbiz, it’s called “playing against type”. But you can’t play against type unless you’ve firmly established a type to play against.

Simon “That Was Dreadful!” Cowell is getting serious ink (and cyber ink) ’cause Scowl Cowell has appointed himself as the guardian angel of a little girl who is facing a serious health challenge. He paid off her family’s mortgage. A grinch with a heart of gold is a million times more interesting that your garden variety do-gooder who does charitable stuff all the time. I’m not cynical enough to say that was his sole motivation behind his generosity (or that it was simply engineered to promote a certain Philanthropist Survivor show currently making big headlines). It’s good that the guy did good. All I’m saying is that it looks gooder on him ’cause he’s developed a clear consistent brand to play against. Not a bad marketing/PR strategy.