Unleashing the Power of Barbie: A Masterclass in GTM Strategy for Cloud and AI Tech Businesses

Discover the groundbreaking strategies that have made Barbie’s Go-To-Market (GTM) approach absolutely amazing. Developed by our esteemed CMO Chaitra Vedullapalli, this post takes you behind the scenes of Barbie’s triumphant marketing campaign.

Amidst the challenges of the Hollywood strike, Barbie faced a unique obstacle: lead talent could not participate in the promotional activities. However, through the unwavering support of the audience and communities, Barbie’s narrative and GTM plan of action captivated the world.

In this exclusive post, our CMO reveals the secrets behind Barbie’s success. From crafting a compelling narrative to implementing an innovative GTM strategy, Barbie’s marketing feat serves as a true masterclass in pushing boundaries and driving results.

Experience the remarkable journey of Barbie as she defies conventions and reshapes the industry. Visit link to dive into the unparalleled GTM strategy that propelled Barbie to new heights during challenging times.

Embrace the lessons learned from this iconic brand and unlock the potential for innovation and success in your own marketing endeavors. Together, let’s learn from the masterclass that is Barbie and revolutionize the way we approach GTM strategies.

Don’t miss out on this inspiring and insightful article by our visionary CMO.

Summarized Unleashing the GTM Expert within: A Deeper Dive into Barbie’s Success

As a GTM expert, I delved deep into the box office collections, PR tactics, and distribution strategies surrounding the Barbie phenomenon. What I discovered left me truly astounded. The way Mattel’s Barbie marketing team and Warner Bros. studio crafted their PR and distribution strategy, leveraging the power of collective action, was nothing short of brilliant.

A Marketing Masterclass in Motion

The marketing frenzy that accompanied the release of Barbie was unparalleled. Mattel’s Barbie marketing team and Warner Bros. spared no expense, executing a marketing blitz that set new industry standards. Every detail was meticulously planned, resulting in a mesmerizing spectacle that showcased true marketing genius in action.

The Astonishing ROI of an Exceptional GTM Strategy

It’s no secret that a successful marketing campaign comes with substantial financial investment. However, the astounding returns generated by Barbie’s GTM strategy are a testament to its brilliance. For every dollar spent on PR and marketing, they reaped tenfold in results. This is the power of a well-executed GTM strategy that seamlessly activates PR and integrated marketing efforts.

  • Budget = $100M
  • Gross Revenue (Worldwide) = $780M (as of 7/30/23)
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Absolutely stunning results!

Here are some GTM Strategies that leveraged technology, products and digital media that was personalized and specialized to create bold and visionary move. The Barbie Movie Maker Greta Gerwig has expertly harnessed the power of experiential stunts, traditional media, and user-generated content to create an irresistible pull towards the cinema. The strategic brilliance behind these endeavors is truly remarkable, fueling a wave of excitement and anticipation among fans. Here are some marketing activation that caught my attention

  1. ICONIC Dreamhouse: One of the standout moments in this marketing extravaganza was when Barbie star Margot Robbie covering Vogue to the doll’s iconic Dreamhouse being listed on Airbnb. Catapulting the iconic doll into the realms of high fashion and capturing the attention of a diverse and influential audience. This visionary move not only solidified Barbie’s status as a global phenomenon but also showcased the seamless integration of entertainment and cultural impact. The moviemaker has also leaned into experiential stunts, traditional media and user-generated content to push fans towards the cinema, from Barbie star
  2. Barbie Takes Over Times Square : In an unprecedented move, Barbie dominated Times Square with a larger-than-life billboard, showcasing the film’s dazzling visuals and captivating narrative, igniting excitement and anticipation among passersby.
  3. We are all Barbie : Released a selfie generator that let fans insert themselves straight into Barbie Land. The UGC tool meant anyone could star as Barbie, with their own tagline (“This Barbie is a… advertising journalist”).
  4. Stay in Barbie’s home : Star Margot Robbie made her character’s home aspirational by taking viewers on a tour of the iconic Barbie Dreamhouse for Architectural Digest.
  5. Barbie’s Charity Partnership : Showcasing the brand’s commitment to social responsibility, Barbie partnered with a renowned charity organization, showcasing Barbie’s positive impact on empowering young girls worldwide.
  6. Barbie is a jet-setter : When Barbie isn’t at home in the Dreamhouse, she’s jet-setting. That’s why the Béis x Barbie luggage collection just makes sense. The Barbie x Béis luggage collection was designed with millennials in mind
  7. Dress like Barbie : Fashion brands including Target, Gap and Show Me Your Mumu dropped Barbie-themed clothes, but Forever 21 and Claire’s collections speak to the recent wave of ‘90s nostalgia. The Forever 21 x Barbie collab features 76 pieces, from sunglasses to matching loungewear, cropped T-shirts and halter tank tops.
  8. Barbie goes dating : Off-screen, dating app Bumble has teamed up with the movie to turn Barbie and Ken into IRL dating coaches. The app is running a new experience where users can get motivation from all the Barbies and Kens featured in the movie (including Robbie’s main Barbie, Ryan Gosling’s Ken, President Barbie played by Issa Rae and Ken No. 2, who is Simu Lu).
  9. Barbiecore infiltrates lunch : Burger King Brazil’s Barbie-themed meal comes with a cheeseburger topped with a smoky pink sauce, a pink vanilla milkshake, “Ken’s potatoes” (fries) and a pink frosted doughnut.
  10. Barbie’s Influencer Campaign : To create a buzzworthy campaign, Barbie partnered with influencers worldwide, showcasing the brand’s positive impact on lifestyle, fashion, and self-expression.

Revolutionizing the Business Landscape

Barbie’s success story serves as a beacon of inspiration for marketers, entrepreneurs, and leaders across industries. It demonstrates the unlimited potential that lies within a thoughtfully crafted GTM strategy. By embracing innovative concepts, setting new standards, and investing in bold, forward-thinking initiatives, businesses can reshape their future.

Creating Cultural Shifts through Strategic Action

Beyond its commercial success, Barbie’s impact extended far beyond the box office. It ignited conversations, challenged societal norms, and empowered women of all ages to embrace their limitless potential. The combination of a compelling narrative, purpose-driven marketing, and strategic distribution fueled a cultural shift that transcends far beyond the realms of entertainment.

Unlocking the Power of GTM Strategy

Barbie’s triumph underscores the significance of strategic marketing and GTM excellence. By meticulously curating a holistic strategy that encompasses PR, distribution, and integrated marketing, businesses can create transformative experiences that leave an indelible mark on their target audience.

Let Barbie’s success serve as a catalyst for innovation for technology leaders, as we embark on a journey to unlock the full potential of GTM strategy and drive meaningful change.

So, the next time you watch a movie or witness a marketing masterclass unfold, take a moment to appreciate the strategic brilliance at play. It is through the fusion of storytelling and innovative marketing that we can inspire, empower, and shape our collective future.

Articles to read:

Join the conversation and let us know how Barbie’s success story has inspired you to push the boundaries of your own GTM strategy.

Here are two sessions to get you all going:

Also tell me in the chat which movie or tech solution GTM you want me to dissect deeply and share my GTM perspectives. Learn more about Cosell GTM ramp to revenue program we just launched to help you explore strategies to accelerate your demand gen and partnerships with Hyperscalers.

Voice your thoughts in the comments below and embrace the power of strategic marketing in driving transformative change!

Join us in uncovering the power of Barbie’s GTM strategy and let’s create marketing excellence together.

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Top 20 ideas to make your SAAS business more profitable

Running a business can be a challenge, and making it profitable can be even more difficult. There are many factors to consider, and it can be overwhelming to know where to start. To help you make your business more profitable, we’ve put together a checklist of actionable ideas you can implement in 2023. Follow these steps, and you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful, profitable business.

  1. Evaluate your pricing strategy:  Take a close look at your pricing strategy. Are you charging enough to cover your costs and make a profit? Consider raising your prices or reducing your costs to increase your profit margins.
  2. Review your expenses: Review your expenses and identify areas where you can reduce costs. Can you negotiate better prices with your suppliers? Are there any unnecessary expenses you can cut?
  3. Diversify your revenue streams:Consider adding new products or services to your business to create new revenue streams. Diversifying your revenue can help you weather any downturns in your primary revenue stream.
  4. Increase your customer base: Look for ways to attract new customers. You can consider expanding your marketing efforts or targeting a new demographic.
  5. Retain existing customers: Retaining existing customers is much cheaper than acquiring new ones. Focus on building relationships with your customers to increase repeat business and reduce customer churn.
  6. Optimize your website: Make sure your website is user-friendly and optimized for search engines. A well-designed website can attract more traffic and increase conversions.
  7. Leverage social media: Social media can be a powerful tool for connecting with customers, building your brand, and driving traffic to your website.
  8. Use automation to increase efficiency: Look for ways to automate repetitive tasks to increase efficiency and reduce costs.
  9. Outsource non-core functions: Consider outsourcing non-core functions such as bookkeeping or customer service to reduce costs and improve focus on core business activities.
  10. Develop strategic cosell partnerships driven GTM: Partnering with other businesses can increase exposure and reach new customers. Look for complementary businesses that you can collaborate with.
  11. Use data to make informed decisions: Gather and analyze data to make informed decisions about pricing, marketing, and other key business activities.
  12. Focus on customer experience: Invest in providing exceptional customer service to differentiate your business and increase customer loyalty.
  13. Offer discounts and promotions: Use discounts and promotions strategically to attract new customers and increase sales.
  14. Explore alternative revenue models: Consider subscription models or other alternative revenue models that can provide predictable revenue streams.
  15. Develop a strong brand identity: Build a strong brand identity to differentiate your business and build customer loyalty.
  16. Increase productivity: Look for ways to improve productivity through process improvement, employee training, or other initiatives.
  17. Focus on employee engagement: Engaged employees are more productive and less likely to leave, which can save costs associated with recruitment and training.
  18. Develop a sales pipeline: Create a sales pipeline to ensure a steady stream of new leads and opportunities.
  19. Look for opportunities to scale: Look for ways to scale your business, such as expanding to new geographic regions or launching new products or services.

Download the Checklist of Top 20 Ideas to make your business more profitable, you’ll be well on your way to making your business more profitable.
Remember, profitability takes time and effort, but with the right strategies in place, your business can thrive and succeed.

6 Steps to Craft a Successful Cosell Go-To-Marketing (GTM) Strategy with Cloud Hyperscalers

Nowadays, co-selling is becoming a common vocabulary for many cloud-based solution providers when having conversations with Cloud Hyperscalers. The data speaks for itself.  Forrester predicts that 17% of the B2B spending of $3.5 trillion will go through a cloud marketplace by the end of this year and 80% of B2B Sales transactions are going through digital channels by 2025.  On top of that, 43% of enterprise buyers say their top reason for purchasing through marketplaces is to take full advantage of co-selling with cloud hyperscalers.

Cosell marketing has become one of the top marketing channels for company’s with solutions with subscription models. The reason is that it’s a very scalable go-to-market (GTM) option for building sustainable demand generation and lead acquisition through joint channels. However, a lot of hard work is involved backstage.

The main reason is that you don’t build a partnership overnight. Although each partnership will demand a different amount of time, energy, and effort, it will definitely consume a big chunk of time for the cloud solution provider and the cloud hyperscaler such as Microsoft, Google and others to work with.

That’s why we think it’s important for you to know this 6-step process that will help you ease your way into the world of Co-Sell Marketing with Cloud Hyperscalers before you even start.

Assess your Cosell marketing readiness

Every vendor and each hyperscaler is different. And the term “Cosell Ready” can vary a lot between them.

Let’s take Microsoft for example. To Microsoft, being “Cosell Ready” means having your solution transactable in their Marketplace, Cosell GTM assets are ready, drive cloud consumption and a bunch of requirements they have. On the other hand, being Cosell ready for AWS means understanding which vertical, solution play, customer lists and more will yield the most impact.

It’s crucial that you take your time to read and fully understand all of the requirements of each of these hyperscalers when it comes to Coselling GTM development. By doing that, it will save you a lot of time and energy when going through this process.

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Take your Free Cosell Marketing Assessment

Identify Cosell Ready Solution To Market

You need to figure out a couple of things before you even start thinking about Coselling. One of them is knowing if your solution is SAAS and can be transactable via their marketplace, and the second is being sure that you and your business need this kind of partnership.

The Cosell ready solution must meet the following requirements:

  1. Differentiation: Are you focused on solving a challenge in an specific industry?
  2. SAAS ready : Is it built on their cloud services stack and performs as a SAAS solution?
  3. Transactable: Is the solution listed as a transactable solution in their marketplace?
  4. Repeatable: Is the solution implementation and sales is repeatable?
  5. Cosell GTM: Do you have the critical Cosell GTM assets and execution plan available to drive demand generation and sales plays?

Develop Cosell GTM (go-to-market) plan

What is it about? Developing your Cosell go-to-market plan involves working with your Cloud Hyperscaler to determine each company’s area of strength and the goals for each channel you use to promote the solution. Basically, in unity there’s strength!

It is essential for this partnership to work that your partner understands that a Cosell relationship should work in harmony and in conjunction with efforts you’re already executing. Your partner should fill in the gaps where it’s needed and help you facilitate connections and marketing tactics that your company may need or might not excel in.

If it sounds like we’re talking about real human relationships, it’s because we are. By following these rules, you’ll be able to outline a strong Cosell GTM plan that focuses on each company’s strengths and achieve the best results.

Publish your Cosell solution and offers

There are several marketplaces that every SMB and enterprise-ready solution should be on. You might also consider listing your product on other marketplaces depending on your solution and objectives. Here are two approaches:

  1. Discovery : And if you’re looking for a marketplace where your solution can be discovered in the channels and be connected to all the major cloud solution marketplaces, then you should participate. For example WIC Solutions Marketplace is available for showcasing all the solutions that impacts UN goals 2030 and founders are women.
  2. Transactable : Cloud marketplaces hosted by Google’s, Microsoft Azure, AWS, Salesforce and IBM should be considered based on your partnership relationship. Start with one before expanding to all. For example: Meylah’s Speaker Engage platform is available as a transactable solution on Microsoft marketplace.

Execute your Cosell marketing

Executing your Cosell marketing plan takes consistent time and effort from both the parties. It is primarily the job of the Cloud Solution provider supported by Hyperscalers. The two of you must have common goals and strategies that work in harmony and work as separate marketing engines.

You’ll want to have a clear plan on what markets or audience segmentations you will primarily be marketing to prevent double efforts and costs across the board. Plus build your critical cosell GTM assets to kickstart your conversations. To get your started, download the critical GTM assets checklist if you don’t already have access to it.

If your Cloud Hyperscaler has a specialty, lean in on tasks outside their wheelhouse and provide support where needed. At this stage of the process, you should clearly outline who will be doing what as it pertains to marketing.

Track your credibility markers, leads & contracts

Tracking your progress should be easy if you’ve followed the previous steps. In any successful partnership, each will have a list of responsibilities and benchmarks to hit to determine some level of success.

It doesn’t matter if you’re using a robust CRM like Salesforce to track and measure the different leads and contacts gained, or deals closed/won, or you simply have an excel file that tracks ongoing progress as outlined by your go-to-market strategy.

What is important is to have some sort of tracking tool to understand where everyone has succeeded and where improvement can be made.

Bottom line

A lot goes into a Cosell relationship from building to marketing to selling together. And while there will be many more activities to complete in your Cosell journey, these six strategic steps will get you where you need to be as a beginner.

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If you want to know more, Join the #CosellVelocity Digital Marketing Summit on January 18th from 1-5PM PST and learn how to build and navigate the cosell marketing with cloud hyperscalers journey, but walk away with tactics that you can start implementing right away. Register for free at cosellvelocity.com.