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Brace yourselves to feel wholly uncomfortable if you haven't yet seen Triangle of Sadness starring Woody Harrelson mid-alcohol fuelled crisis, then this hilarious and very awkward satire focusing on privilege and excess is absolutely brilliant.
It's also packed with reminders for us marketers in how we present information, engage audiences and you know, do what we do.
1. Authenticity is all-powerful
The underlying vibe of Triangle of Sadness is the sheer pretentiousness of the rich, the fashionista mindset, and the constant abuse of power.
The movie sees the leading characters behaving appallingly aboard a luxury yacht, making obscene requests and showing their true colours. Some characters have a far softer side which you instantly warm to, and the shock value ramps up 10-fold as the film progresses.
When it comes to the businesses we're running or the marketing campaigns we're responsible for, authenticity is up there at the top.
Showing genuine affinity with your audience in ways that have substance should go without say.
Being transparent when something doesn't go according to plan is paramount.
And consistently focusing on what you do, for whom, and for what gain, without jumping on trends is the make or break of a brand.
2. Superficial demographics are dangerous
We know better than saying our audience is a 50 year old female from the North. She could be your mum or she could be the inventor of the next big thing in AI. She could be both.
Understanding the nuances in a demographic will allow you to connect with people on a far more valuable level.
Focusing on the problems you solve for different people within a demographic will allow you to create content that stands out and creates a dialogue.
Segmenting beyond gender and geography will allow you to run targeted campaigns with real meaning.
3. Creativity is great but not without commercial focus
Two of the leading characters in the movie are in the fashion industry and the superficial priorities of a casting call and job opportunity are magnified to painful levels. However it also shows that taking a creative approach that sells is always the golden goose.
We all strive to come up with that mega-creative idea, and sometimes it's at the cost of the core goals of the business and the bottom line. So creating imaginative campaigns that actually tie back to commercial goals always has to be a priority.
Mapping out the customer decision making process from the point of exposure to your creative campaign, right through to purchase is so important. And remember, brand awareness equals future sales.
Retaining focus on what you do, for whom and what problem you solve will allow you to tie creative ideas to commercial goals neatly.
Stress-testing creative ideas against commercial goals will allow you to qualify whether it's an idea for ideas sake.
4. Having purpose in business is not just skin deep
A large part of the movie is about highlighting the lack of morals and values the mega-rich can sometimes have. In this case the focus is on the fashion industry and the lack of regard for workers rights and the environmental impact of fashion on the planet.
For us marketers, we've always known that the core values and purpose of the business are ideally rooted in good. And that there has to be a reason that we do what we do. Whether that's to simplify someone's chaotic life, bring people closer together or to go as far as helping to save the planet. It doesn't matter whether it's a tiny life improvement or a global education piece, it still matters. So what can we take from that?
Your purpose has to unite a cohort of people, not just satisfy internal stakeholders.
Having purpose allows you to create community and conversation around your product or service.
Having purpose creates advocates who will be your expanded sales team and spread word of mouth.
Having purpose allows you to show why it's important to your brand to do things the right way, which creates loyalty.
What else would you add to the list of lessons we can learn from Triangle of Sadness?