Published September 2004

Blue Angels an example of marketing in action

I was among many that enjoyed the Blue Angels’ performance this summer in Seattle. While listening to the television narrator, I realized the discipline and preparation that goes into their show has many similarities to what is necessary for a successful marketing program.

Since 1946, the Blue Angels (named after a famous New York nightclub) have been wowing audiences around the world — they’ve flown over 337 million people. Their primary mission as the U.S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron is recruiting for the Navy, clearly a marketing function.

As Lt. Michael Blankenship (PR officer) explained the rigors of their program, I took away four parallels that are central to effective marketing.

1. Teamwork: The Blue Angels have 126 team members; most are behind the scenes, and each one carries out a critical mission and coordinated duty. This is a good company model. Your entire team (not just sales and marketing) should be aware of the marketing program and their respective roles. Every successful organization, I believe, is a marketing organization. From the person who answers the phone to the person who delivers the product, they are all part of the marketing team. This is as much about culture as it is communications. It is management’s job to ensure everyone in the organization is up to speed on the marketing mission.

2. Conditioning: Blue Angels pilots fly a $28 million F/A-18 Hornet at nearly Mach-1, often executing maneuvers that pull over seven G’s. You need to be in excellent condition to withstand that kind of stress and keep from “blacking out” during a performance. The same is true for your marketing program. Your people and systems must be able to manage the stress generated by your marketing program. This requires staff training and systems checks to make sure your organization is operating at an optimal level. Map the entire “customer experience” — from point-of-entry to purchase and service to retention. Identify areas in bad shape and begin conditioning.

3. Preflight: The Blue Angels always go through preflight planning before they hit the tarmac. Your company can go through a similar process before launching a marketing initiative. Go through a “preflight” checklist to make sure your systems are up and everyone involved knows what to do. Just as the Blue Angels have a “low-altitude show” they perform on cloudy days, you, too, may need to have a contingency ready.

4. Debrief: After every show, the Blue Angels debrief. They go over video and discuss each maneuver. They resolve communications, coordination and areas needing improvement. Do you and your team debrief after each marketing venture? Do you know what went right and wrong, and, most importantly, why? Think of the added preparation you’d go though if failure meant endangering lives. Thankfully, most of us aren’t held to that standard — but could you imagine how much your marketing program would improve if you were?

If you focus on teamwork, conditioning, preflight planning and debriefing, even to a lesser extent than the Blue Angels do, you’ll experience far better results, and your marketing program won’t likely “black out.”

Andrew Ballard, president of Marketing Solutions Inc. in Edmonds, develops brand leadership strategies for businesses and teaches strategic marketing through Edmonds Community College. He can be reached at 425-672-7218 or by e-mail to andrew@mktg-solutions.com.

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