- September 30, 2014
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Marketing Lessons From the Moon
To be clear, these lessons are not literally from the moon. They’re actually insights that David Meerman Scott and co-author Rich Jurek have written about in their bestselling new book, Marketing The Moon.
The two marketing and public relations experts are world-class space geeks, with impressive collections of Apollo artifacts. These guys even collect things like press kits from companies involved in the program. So one day, after complaining that someone should write a book about the marketing behind the moon launch, they decided they had to accept the mission themselves.
Marketing History
Unquestionably, the moon landing itself was one of the most audacious feats ever undertaken by mankind. And Marketing The Moon makes the case that the Apollo moon-landing program was also the most successful integrated marketing and public relations campaign in history.
But in order to succeed, it first required President Kennedy to sell his vision to the American public and convince them this was something they needed to support and fund.
The Audacity of Apollo
Consider just how audacious and crazy a project this was (and still is in retrospect): the U.S. spent 4% of its national budget for a decade, and contracted 2% of the American workforce, all to send 12 humans to the moon.
When it began it was far from a sure thing. Speaking publicly only after the successful return of the Apollo 11 crew on July 22, 1969, rocket scientist Wernher Von Braun said, “Without public relations, we would have been unable to do it.”
Marketing Lessons from the Moon Landing
Scott draws many marketing lessons from the moon program that can apply to businesses of all sizes. “Thinking big and being audacious is something all entrepreneurs should be doing,” he says:
1. Aim High For Big Success
Scott calls the mobile phone “The most important marketing tool ever devised.” These devices are two million times more powerful than the Apollo lunar module guidance computer and practically the entire world is on them now. As a marketer, you’ve got audacious power in your pocket! The greatest barrier to taking advantage of it is fear.
2. Tell a Powerful Story
As a business leader or marketing manager, part of your role is to unify everyone in the organization to go in the same direction. In order to attract customers, you need to be excited about your vision.
3. Work With Trusted Partners
NASA didn’t work alone. Hundreds of universities as well as large private-sector firms like Boeing, Raytheon, IBM, and many smaller companies joined the effort. By thinking like publishers they helped tell the story and get their own customers excited.
4. Be Open and Transparent
Compared with the Soviets, the U.S. was open about its objectives. In agreeing to have live TV from the moon, NASA had to overcome its fear of real-time communications with the public! That meant everyone could see and hear when astronauts had a problem. The lesson for businesses is to avoid hiding things from customers and employees. With social media and 24/7 news, there are no more secrets for long!
