It’s A Me…

Who doesn’t love the Super Mario brand? Whether you are a fan of Mario, Luigi, Princess (the list really does go on) it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t know about an element of Super Mario. The moustache, the pipes, Mario Kart, the games and so many characters, the brand has it’s own brilliant eco-system of products that just never seem to age.

Super Mario is a perfect brand to learn from and so we have broken down why we believe it’s been and still is so successful after all these years.

The History

The history of Super Mario, one of the most iconic and influential franchises in the history of video games, traces back to the early 1980s when Nintendo, a Japanese video game company, was looking to create a new flagship character and game. First appearing in ‘Donkey Kong’ in 1981 but with another nickname of Jumpman, Mario finally came alive in 1983 with his bro Luigi. Nintendo revolutionised the gaming industry by telling the story and adding in some excitement through enemies and powerups etc.

Super Mario boomed and more series were released each time fitting the console of that time and finally evolving into 3D gaming which at the time would blow people’s minds. It set the standards (leaving Pac Man and Sonic to have to react just to keep up). Mario kept growing and expanded further through TV, Film and more merch, Mario didn’t stop they took the opportunity to keep the name moving and solidify their market.

Super Mario has consistently evolved while staying true to its core elements—engaging gameplay, colourful worlds, memorable characters, and innovative designs. It has become a hallmark of the gaming industry, capturing the hearts of players for over three decades.

Business Learning

As mentioned above Super Mario is a great business concept to learn from, not only has it had longevity but has key elements that you can take into your business, perhaps not a computer game but how to build something everyone wants and keep it fresh and relevant for years to come, Mario must be well over 60 himself but hasn’t aged a bit, we could all do with some of that magic.

Here are some key reasons behind Mario’s success: -

Mario Was Built As An Iconic Character Easy Brand To Recognise

Mario is one of the most recognisable characters in the world, achieving a level of brand recognition that rivals major global icons. The red-capped, mustachioed plumber is synonymous with video games. He sells himself, just like Pac Man and Sonic. there is nobody else like him, even his brother is easily recognisable as not being him. He wasn’t a super hero or disguised in a mask and cape, no way he was a relatable plumber who’s ‘pipes’ have been a big part of his storyline. From the red of his overalls to the logo everything was kept simple, recognisable and functional across many countries and languages.

Learning: Make your brand unforgettable, make it stand out and be proud to use in it different ways. Mario logo itself isn’t anything over the top, instead they use elements of the brand like phrases, tone, voice, colours to make it all recognisable and memorable, maybe because their first audience was the children and they weren’t too fussed about mission and vision statements or maybe because they know that to keep something alive you aim for iconic status.

Best-Selling Franchise of All Time

The Super Mario franchise is the best-selling video game franchise of all time, with over 700 million copies sold across various titles, making it a commercial powerhouse in the gaming industry. Great timing, genius production or storytelling at its best you decide, we would assume all these elements were needed and doubt if released today would have half the impact. Mario embedded the brand into our world and forever holds a place in our hearts as we played for hours to rescue the princess.

Learning: It’s very easy to say they sold a shed load of products, but it’s the way they handled the sell. They built an infinite mindset so rather than selling out after the first few years and moving on, they used Mario just like Disney uses Mickey Mouse as a way of having a continuous business and therefore securing theirs and Mario’s future. They found something that was needed, built it and then evolved it time and time again. Thin about this in your business, what will your business be like in the coming months, years and which key elements of your business will you be using.

Groundbreaking Game Design And Innovation

The franchise has been at the forefront of innovation, introducing groundbreaking concepts such as scrolling platform gameplay ("Super Mario Bros."), 3D gaming ("Super Mario 64"), and gravity-defying mechanics ("Super Mario Galaxy"). These innovations have influenced the entire gaming industry. Without the evolvement the brand would have failed, only by allowing a different way of playing could they ever proceed. Too many games were similar in structure to the original Mario game, they took the lead and brought Mario further than anyone knew was possible, it was absolute magic on your screen.

Learning: This was the key to their success in my opinion, they didn’t settle on the winning concept they ramped it up and then some. They brought in scrolling screens, a first for the way people played the games, they later went on to use 3d and other more engaging game play. They knew Mario was a success already so the only thing that could change was the things around him (i.e the playing experience). The same will be in your business, you’ll offer a great product or service that has competitors, so how can you change the environment to enhance your offer?

Just look what happened to Zoom, Skype and Teams when Covid-19 hit, they were presented with a new way of working that was aready available to them but they hadn’t yet discovered the power of.

Consistent Critical Acclaim And Awards

Super Mario games consistently receive critical acclaim and numerous awards for their gameplay, design, graphics, and music. Titles like "Super Mario 64," "Super Mario Galaxy," and "Super Mario Odyssey" are often hailed as some of the greatest video games ever made. Awards get noticed and give people confidence and a reason to follow, by following they become fans and so the brand explodes. It’s hard not to be great when you have been recognised as being so, the awards started the process and Mario took it from there.

Learning: Enter your business for awards, it’s not pretentious it’s a marker of how people could see you and the win/win is that you automatically become ‘award winning’ (if you win) which then adds to the kudos and gives people an easy way to say yes to working with you. Don’t however, become obsessed with the winning, become obsessed with the small things that could make you a winner, like the process and the customer experience and so on.

Cultural Impact And Iconic Catchphrases

Mario's phrases like "It's-a me, Mario!" and "Mamma mia!" have become ingrained in popular culture. The franchise has permeated various forms of media, from TV shows and movies to merchandise, cementing its place in mainstream society. Ironically other brands have phrases more recognisable, but because of it’s fame it was a nice add on rather than a must have. The simple phrases helped people relate to the character and made it easy to be liked, which again helped Mario gain popularity.

Learning: It’s about connecting with people, your audience and your customers. If Mario had just spoken Italia he would have alienated his audience to just Italian speaking people. Instead they found a way to include the masses with simplicity.The same will be in your business, for example a financial advisor who uses phrases like wealth, bull market and ask bid will instantly turn off anyone who doesn’t know about investment. Thy instantly miss out on their potential audience because they aren’t and make it hard for the customer to relate

Add To The Story

Super Mario has set the standard for platforming and level design, inspiring countless game developers and influencing numerous franchises. Elements like power-ups, non-linear gameplay, and expansive worlds have been adopted and adapted by many games.

Learning: Mario built associated products like ‘magic stars’ and ‘powerups’ which added to the mystery but allowed them to create more stories and obviously more merchandise. If you look inside your business do you have little triggers that you can use to have associated with you.? They should add to your product, maybe it’s a tool, a guide etc. that compliments the Mario in your business.

Successful Spin-offs

The franchise has successfully expanded into various genres beyond traditional platforming, including racing ("Mario Kart"), sports ("Mario Tennis," "Mario Golf"), party games ("Mario Party"), and role-playing games ("Paper Mario"). This versatility has broadened its appeal.

Learning: Can your business be in different places? Mario shouldn’t be playing Tennis but it works, often your business just works in really odd places or at least places you hadn’t thought of exploring to date. Widening the net can bring you different opportunities, if you go home the same way every day, you’ll see the same people!

Longevity And Enduring Appeal

Since its inception in 1985, the franchise has maintained its appeal across generations. New generations of gamers continue to discover and fall in love with Super Mario, highlighting its timeless gameplay and enduring charm.

Learning: Market your business with a selection of generations in mind, what works for one won’t for another, you also don’t have to be everything to everone, you are unique and brilliant as you are, let your real audience come and work with you, and not change you into something your not.

Finally, They Made A Movie (2022)

The announcement and anticipation of the upcoming Super Mario Bros. animated movie in 2022, featuring an ensemble of well-known actors, indicates the franchise's expansion into new entertainment mediums, further solidifying its cultural significance. Whether a reaction to Lego, Turtles and Barbie film successes or the realisation that there is an easy mass market out there to be had, the Mario film boosted the brand and revenues alike.

Learning: It might not be in your budget to make a film or even a Netflix series but there is learning in telling our story .We’ve seen the successes of podcasts where businesses can give a voice to the brand, but what if you could let people into the back office so to speak. The ‘Office’ was a great hit TV show as it was able to relate to people (in a funny way) but showing some reality along the way. Use video to showcase you, the business and the brand as your starting point and then work up to this idea of letting people into your business with behind the scenes, as humans we thrive to be part of a club or community, so letting the audience in will win customers.

____

Super Mario's success is about having fun and evolving the character to open up more opportunities and giving Mario longevity, it was never about (or became never about) a one off sale like Donkey Kong for example. Mario was relatable, relevant and had a story, so take these lessons into your business and see if you too can be still as brilliant in 40+ years.