The Marketing Bestie Podcast with zoeunlimited - how olivia rodrigo built a LIKABLE brand

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Starting point is 00:01:33 To that, Olivia Rodriguez said, Forget TikTok. I am the algorithm. Wait, is this fucking play about us? Five. If there's a place cursed to destroy anyone alive, it must be Disney. Just look at Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears.

Starting point is 00:02:01 Despite how all have seemingly bulletproof Lucky Girls Syndrome and Pretty Privilege, each with the dream start of stardom, light years ahead of everyone, Somehow there's a way to mess everything up. It seems like no matter how lucky or pretty you are, fame is only rented property with a deadly interest to pay. Lucky and pretty privilege age like milk, but not for Olivia Rodrigo.

Starting point is 00:02:27 Despite a very similar start to everyone else, if not worse, being remembered as the Bazaar girl, seen as a TikToker at one point and gotten into messy dramas, There was still something that saved her from the inevitable death of Disney Child Stars, the halo of a good brand. Only by researching for this video, I realized that the first time I came across Olivia Rodrigo was not when Driver's Slices blew up, was not when I met her in person at the Vampire release event. It was when my younger sister was watching Disney, and there were these two very cute twins being bizarre.

Starting point is 00:03:08 Bizarre bark, we like to keep it weird, we make crazy fan, and we look good in a beer. I'm sorry, but I did not love the show. So never have I thought I'd become a fan and actually shed a tear at The Guts Tor. Olivia, if you're watching this, a teenage dream man. That was magical. So how in the name of branding genius did Olivia Rodriguez go not only completely shed this bizarre Varg Disney Child image? then a Ticktokker image to now claim the throne of pop royalty, the Gen Z Big Girl. Come to my computer show, I'm Mars Argo.

Starting point is 00:03:50 Multiple Grammys winner, Trendsetter and a Pinterest moveboard. Face of Lankombe has her own crumble cookie Air One smoothie. It's purple. Oh, oh my god, this is really good. And a literal idol for a generation of young girls. I'd be so disappointed. Breaking the curse of a Disney child star that ruined Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, and many more.

Starting point is 00:04:23 But more importantly, can she keep it? Oh my goodness, I love this question! I think. As your marketing bestie, who graduated top 1% UCLA business economics with a background in marketing, we're going to explore how Olivia Roderico successfully used the right marketing techniques to smoothly go from Bizarvark to Gen Z-It Girl. And how you can take things from her story to apply to your dreams. Because branding is not about putting your name on a cookie.

Starting point is 00:04:55 If Crombo put Olivia's name on that cookie a year ago, go luck, Saliani. Oliver Rodriguez is a little Mexican girl that'd be crying. Zero out of ten. Zero out of ten. Branding is about how your dream college, dream job, dream boyfriend sees you. And yes, you have one. I'm creating this series to analyze pop culture girl icons from a marketing perspective. Because of the power of influence they have over a generation of young girls.

Starting point is 00:05:27 I think a little part of me is Olivia Rodriguez-go, honestly. Guys, I'm so excited to talk about this, not just because I adore Olivia's music and her as a person, but also because there's been so much good branding that she's done, I'm geeking out. But there are two small caveats I will mention. I will mention in the end that she should watch out for because no brand is impeccable. I'm also starting an email list and if you want early access to this exclusive community of trends, deeper dives, insights, make sure you sign up through the link in the description. It's completely free. So how exactly did Olivia Rodriguez break the Disney curse and TikTok curse?

Starting point is 00:06:14 Let's take it back to Olivia 1.0. The opposite of Lucky Girl Syndrome happened to young Olivia, born half-deaf in her left year. She did not let that dim her light and began singing at 5, then acting at 12, with her first major role in Disney's Bazaar VAR, along with notable co-stars like Jake Paul. The show was cute, funny, and very Disney. I think you are perfect. Perfect. Just want to get closer to you. She was talented, sure, but this was very cookie cutter. Disney fame. Oh yeah?

Starting point is 00:06:50 You're um... I got nothing. If there's one thing Disney stars know is that staying in the Disney bubble does not guarantee long-term success. Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Zendaya, they all had to break out of that mold. But even after starring in high school musical and having written a song for the show, she was still known as a Disney child. However, with years of singing and songwriting under her belt, Olivia was ready to be put under the spotlight, which brings up success factor 1 out of 5.

Starting point is 00:07:28 First, the TikTok effect. Picture yourself at 17, you write a song, made a TikTok about you writing the song, went to bed, then the next morning that video got over 26 million views, and your song hit 17 million global streams. Taylor Swift posts her over 145 million followers, and then SNL made a sketch dedicated to your song. And then you win three Grammys by the end of the year, walk the McGala and become an A-less celebrity. No big deal.

Starting point is 00:08:08 And the Grammy goes to Sour Olivia Rodriguez. Yep, that is the TikTok effect. I vividly remember how I was still sneakily doing YouTube at the time, and my manager at the Big Four was like, you guys, there's this new social, song from a 17-year-old girl and it's really good called driver's license and before I knew it that song was everywhere on TikTok and it was a revolutionary moment when the world began to understand the power of TikTok to marketing music driver's license set the record for the most streams in a week

Starting point is 00:08:53 worldwide became the most requested song on Alexa in a day and is the biggest selling debut number one in five years Everybody on my 4-U pages talking about this driver's license song, and I want to see what the hype is. Olivia, all you need to do is drop the address, baby. I'm gonna bust his windows, out his car. I got you. I got my broom and I got my trash can. But, but, but, so many people blew up on TikTok during the pandemic. Attention easily gained is also easily lost.

Starting point is 00:09:21 So how did Olivia Rodriguez go avoid the quick death of fame as a TikToker? Second, universe creation. Good brands sell good products, but great brands create a whole universe. For example, Gentle Monster doesn't just sell you glasses. They sell a universe of futuristic out-of-the-world experience. Louis-Witt doesn't just sell you bags. They sell the universe of exquisite craftsmanship and show you how they created each piece stitch by stitch. How do they do that?

Starting point is 00:10:06 Storytelling, emotional marketing, and visual branding. As someone who studies and geeks out on branding, this transition is a masterclass in positioning. Olivia and her team used TikTok as a launch pad, but they did not let it define her. Instead, they leaned into her authenticity, her storytelling, and her undeniable talent.

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Starting point is 00:11:33 Welcome aboard via rail. Please sit and enjoy. Please sit and sit. Play, post, taste, view, and enjoy. Via Rail, love the way. It's exactly how I feel. Thus, before we touch on the core of her universe building, we have to talk about.

Starting point is 00:11:55 Third, visual branding. The mastery of the art of Olivia Rodriguez's visual branding can be seen in the use of colors, costumes, cultural references, and world building that created an aesthetic that is instantly recognizable. From color psychology, sour era was defined by a muted pastel palette. Soft purple, blues, pinks that mirrored the bittersweet emotions and heartbreak and self-reflection. These colors weren't just random, they created a visual language that complimented her sound.

Starting point is 00:12:25 Purple in particular became synonymous with Olivia's brand. It's the color of nostalgia, melancholy, and transformation. Exactly the themes she explores in her music. but it's also fun and young. Look at the Crumble Collab, the Stanley Tumblr, Glossier Pack, the purple Sony ear buds, all of which are hot brands for the Genzi Market and great associations. Spending $100 on a Stanley Cup sounds insane. Now did I do that?

Starting point is 00:12:52 Unfortunately I did. And then there's her wardrobe. I work in a bakery. What do you do in the bakery? Um, I like... Olivia's fashion is a blend of 90s and early 2000s nostalgia, think baby teas, plaid skirts, and chunky boots. but with a modern edgy twist.

Starting point is 00:13:13 This isn't just about looking cool, it's about connecting with Genzi, who grew up romanticizing the Y2K aesthetic. Olivia's outfits tell a story. She's angsty, rebellious, but still vulnerable, which leads to world building. Each music video feels like a chapter in Olivia's diary. Visual metaphors that bring her lyrics to life,

Starting point is 00:13:36 driving aimlessly through empty streets, capturing the loneliness of heartbreak and driver's license, channeling a scorn cheerleader burning down her exis world and good for you, then taking us into a gothic ethereal dream scape and vampire and all the cultural references from the lyrics to the outfits make the brand rooted in a collective memory of teenage angst and this collective experience leads to the magic of her brand. Fourth, relatability. What is one word to describe sour?

Starting point is 00:14:05 Anxie. And what's one word to describe your new album? Gatsy. As we've seen in Taylor's was over 17 years. of stardom domination, relatability is what makes her brand worth even more than the untouchable, flawless, aspirational brand of Beyonce. Why? Because it makes people invested in her personal life and hard to dislike her. You cannot hate what you relate in yourself. And very organically, Olivia Rodrigo won the hearts of many because of her genuine vulnerability.

Starting point is 00:14:34 No, I don't think you understand. I'm upset. From the POV of a teenager girl, she is frank about her struggles, heartbreak, self-discovery, and insecurities. Everything changed in my life and nothing changed at all. Feel the same, I hang out with the same people, I still have the same insecurities and fears. Which is quite different from a lot of the other popular pop girls, who only show the unrealistic highlights of girlhood. But even for an older audience like my manager at the time, they loved driver's license.

Starting point is 00:15:05 Why? Because human emotions are timeless. Who hasn't had a heartbreak or struggled with insecurities? When I'm really low and I listen to a sad song that I absolutely love, that captures that feeling really succinctly, it just helps you understand your feeling so much more, and that's just in and of itself so powerful. I love sad songs. The relatability in her lyrics have an immediate raw and personal resonation

Starting point is 00:15:27 with younger Gen Z, while also hitting the right spot of nostalgia for an older demographic. I just listened to Teenage Dream by Olivia Rodriguez, and whoo, anyone's saying, like, oh, I'm too old, to relate to this song? No, absolutely not. Because of such a strong personal brand, there are so many potential additional brand projects that just makes sense, outside of her already robust existing partnerships,

Starting point is 00:15:52 such as creating a very personal scent. Imagine a candle line or perfume called Ditter Sweet, with soft floral perfume and a musky undertone, reflecting heartbreak and growth. Or a sweet note with a hint of sour to reflect the girl's sentiments and sour. This only works for artists who are highly personality driven like Ariana Grande's $1 billion perfume line. Versus when Addison Murray launched her perfume when she just blew up.

Starting point is 00:16:18 This is not a concern for Olivia Rodriguez because we are witnessing the rise of an iconic star. You like it? Pack yourself on the back, girl. Who is gaining more and more loyal fandom, including a rare vote from me. The true moment that converted me from someone who just likes her music to a fan is a little story I would tell through the fifth element. Fifth, good will. Do you mind if she joins our interview?

Starting point is 00:16:49 So this is my friend Olivia Rodrigo. What? Hi! Is this real? I feel as it gets, baby. The key to building brand is always giving value. And Olivia Rodrigo is one of the rare artists who walk this talk. The day I met her in person was actually a very sh**ty day for me.

Starting point is 00:17:11 I went to the event super stressful work, didn't have time or the energy to put together a super cute outfit, but I am so glad I went because I was so blown away by how kind and sweet she was in person. She took the time to really say hi to everyone at the release of her music video and I mean literally everyone. There was a huge line to meet her and she was treating everyone with genuine kindness and was just sharing good energy. It really is a true testament.

Starting point is 00:17:44 To how people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. Did you guys? So you're a big fan? Yes, 100%! Hi guys! How's your trick-or-treating going?

Starting point is 00:18:04 Oh! More than just an amazing artist, she is so purposeful with her platforms. Fun for Good, which is an initiative that I'm launching as part of the Guts World Tour. Donated more than $2 million of her guts tour to organizations dedicated to the health and equity of women and girls, raised over $6 million on research into Eby and so much more. As an artist influencing so many young girls, I'm really glad that Olivia Rodriguez not just created, but genuinely and authentically lives a brand of kindness and purpose.

Starting point is 00:18:36 And this will take her a much longer way than someone who merely has talent. But it is a double-edged sword being an it girl with two notable potential branding warnings. A over exposure. For example in 2021, Olivia was everywhere. TikTok trends radio hits award shows the last thing an artist wants. The last thing an artist wants is audience fatigue and their music being treated as radio background music to tune out. Hence, something I think she did really well thus far that prevented her from the trap of becoming a TikToker or overrated is cultivating mystique. At the time of going insanely viral on TikTok, Olivia Rodrigo made the very smart decision to not overly write the short wave of TikTok fame and still had the discipline to create more lasting more go on tour instead of just blasting one hit son on TikTok over and over again.

Starting point is 00:19:38 I thought that I was going to get in my head about my writing and be like, oh, I'm never going to write anything as good as driver's license, ah. But I actually really think it gave me a lot of confidence in my voice and in what makes my songwriting special. TikTok is a great marketing tool, but it cannot be the whole brand. There needs to be additional value given for a following to continue to follow and support you. And this goes the same, not just for artists. The second potential branding warning is

Starting point is 00:20:03 B, potential loss of relatability. The look for fall is Bimbo Vampire. And I've always said that. Which is the nature of a relatable brand as people understandably evolve. The teen inks and heartbreak will eventually need to be innovated to something else that her growing audience can relate or aspire to. More collaborations with experimental sounds will be a really good way for her to test out untapped niches.

Starting point is 00:20:33 Tense. As a multi-talented artist, exceptional story, storyteller and someone with integrity and a good heart. I have no doubt that Olivia will overcome these challenges and continue to evolve her brand. From a Disney kid to a viral TikTok sensation and ultimately a serious artist with a cohesive, meticulously crafted brand, it really shows that lasting good brands, whether product or personal, are built song by son, action by action. Because lucky and pretty privilege can get you a history

Starting point is 00:21:06 But brand dictates how far you go. This is your marketing bestie, Zoe Unlimited. Episodes are available on all podcast networks, Apple Spotify, YouTube. Share this episode with someone you love, and I will see you next week.

The Marketing Bestie Podcast with zoeunlimited - how olivia rodrigo built a LIKABLE brand

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