Theme parks. You either love ‘em or hate ‘em. I'm not a huge fan (it’s the lines, the families wearing tacky matching t-shirts, and the lack of salad, honestly) but as a brand lover, I can really geek out over them. If you’ve got a business, I suggest you do the same. Why?
Theme parks are a masterclass in memorable, effective branding.
Take my recent trip to Legoland. (Like I said, theme parks aren’t quite my idea of the “happiest place on Earth” — that would be Kauai, or maybe a gin bar — but as a parent of small humans and a Florida resident, I can’t escape them).
Now this place was as cheesy as any of them, but man, the detail. Theme-park-level attention to detail, my friends, is how you make a rich, unforgettable impression on people that gets them talking — and coming back again and again like diehard Disney fans.
Here are three ways to bring your brand to life in the smallest of ways, inspired by Legoland (which, it turns out, is actually a pretty fun place).
Theme park branding trick #1:
Brand every word of copy
I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a bajillion times: your words are your brand. This means that anywhere you string letters together — from big ads to the contact form on your website — is an opportunity to reinforce who you are and what you stand for.
Exhibit A: The “rules” sign at The Legoland Hotel. It’s not a big piece of communication — just a little sign hanging on the lobby wall — but they took the effort to infuse it with fun. Notice the headline isn’t “Rules for Guests of The Legoland Hotel.”
Exhibit B: The little “proof of cleanliness” cards they leave on your pillow. They could have said, “Your room has been inspected by our cleaning staff” but again, they considered this a meaningful touchpoint and made it sync with their brand. It made me smile, which is presumably their brand goal, so that’s a win.
Even the hotel tagline has that youthful, cheeky spirit: They call themselves “The 5-Gazillion Star Hotel.” All these little copy touches add up to create a strong, unforgettable identity.
Takeaway: Think about every place your business uses words. No matter how inconsequential some of these touchpoints may seem, take the time to infuse those words with your brand personality to make them less boring and more “you.”
Theme park branding trick #2:
Consider every visual encounter
Same principle applies here: Any spot where people come across your brand visually is an opportunity to reinforce your brand.
At Legoland, they take this to a whole other level. Everything that could possibly be made of Legos is made of Legos — from the luggage dollies in the lobby to the condiment holders in the restaurant. There are even Lego butterflies dangling from the trees outside (I couldn’t stop staring) and Lego-shaped waffles at the breakfast buffet (kids couldn’t stop eating). Everywhere you look, you see Legos in the brand’s primary colors — making it impossible to forget where you are (and creating many a ‘grammable moment).
All this eye candy — often hidden where only some guests will see it — acts as a reward for customers paying attention.
Takeaway: Ok, so your product may not be toy bricks you can turn into anything, but you do have various visual touchpoints you can put your own stamp on. If you’re a brick-and-mortar business, think about everything in your space, from the front door to the furniture to the pens. If you’re purely online, think about everywhere you attract eyeballs, from your emails to your Instagram account. Make sure every touchpoint — even the seemingly random ones — incorporates some of your visual brand magic. And put in the extra effort to add little touches, even if you feel like no one will ever see them (someone will).
Theme park branding trick #3:
Create unexpected experiences
The other thing theme parks do oh-so well for branding is the curation of the entire customer experience. They ask themselves, how can we really bring our brand to life for people? How can we get them to experience it in new and exciting ways?
Giving your customers wonderfully unanticipated experiences with your brand puts you on a different plane. Few businesses actually do this, let alone do it well.
Legoland offers so many ways for guests to experience the brand at a new level. They invite guests to creative workshops with Lego “Master Builders.” They create chance opportunities for character meet-and-greets. Areas of the park and hotel itself are fully immersive, making guests feel like they’re stepping through a lifesize Lego world.
They even turn the humble hotel elevator into a Lego-themed, disco dance party experience.
All these little moments add up to create a next-level brand experience that surprises and delights people as they move through it — giving them reasons to remember and talk about you.
Takeaway: Take some time to consider every step of your customer experience, from start to finish. What moments can you turn into something more unexpected?
TL;DR Summary
Theme parks have this branding thing nailed because they pay ridiculous attention to detail. You can do the same for your business to create a memorable and talkworthy brand. How? Look at every little instance (no matter how small) of brand copy, aesthetics, and customer experience, and infuse them with your own unique flavor.
Go on, do it — and report back to me via email or in the comments. I’d love to see what you come up with.
