For the uninitiated, the hit ITV2 show sees singletons head to sunny Majorca in the hope of finding love. Whether you love it or can leave it, there’s no denying that the last few years have seen brand Love Island go from strength to strength thanks to an abundance of sayings (‘muggy’ anyone?!) and relatable characters.
Whether you’re marketing to millennials or your industry is worlds apart from brand Love Island, there are fundamental marketing tips and lessons to be learned from the reality TV show. Our digital marketing experts discuss how utilising marketing techniques used on Love Island can help to make your brand ‘my type on paper’…
Know who you’re talking to
It sounds obvious, but talking to your audience in their language is something people often overlook. Part of Love Island’s huge success is that they know exactly who their audience is, what they like, what platforms they use and how they speak. Once you truly understand your audience, coupling up with them becomes easier. This can be seen in all Love Island communications, from their social media accounts right down to the show’s narrator Iain Stirling.
Have a strong brand identity
If you’ve ever caught a glimpse of Love Island, you’ll undoubtedly have seen the water bottles carried around the plush villa by the contestants. Such is the popularity of said water bottles; they are now available to buy. In addition to Love Island merchandise that ranges from t-shirts and pyjamas to make-up bags and festival jewels, the brand’s font and colour scheme is instantly recognisable. Sayings in the brand’s font and signature bright colours litter the Love Island villa, and adorn much of the brand’s promotional items.
Be social
Social media has been paramount in contributing to Love Island’s success. The show’s hordes of fans often take to Twitter to discuss each episode, live tweeting their thoughts on the contestants and the show. Being active on social media means you can join in conversations with your audience and research what makes them tick, what problems they have and how your business can better connect and understand them.
Learn who influences your market
Love Island has spawned a whole host of ‘influencers’; those who have a very engaged online audience. Influencers may be YouTube stars, have large Instagram followings, or in the case of business to business marketing may be thought leaders within a specific industry. You may think you know who these people are, but you may find through research that your industry has a host of ‘micro influencers’ too – those with a small-medium sized following who are very active on their chosen platform and have very engaged followers.
Be a leader
It can be tempting to let someone else test the waters with trying new things, but innovative campaigns are what set brands aside from the rest. While there are plenty of reality TV shows out there, Love Island has set itself apart from the masses with its unique and relatable characters, iconic narration and plot twists (who can forget Casa Amor-hello second villa!) all of which help to keep the show ahead of the game. The same can be applied to marketing – if you’re nervous about a new idea, test it out on people not involved with your business to gain a genuine reaction first.
