How Barbie's Movie Triumph Unveils 5 Secrets of Agile Execution
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Chapter 1: Understanding Agile in Film
Who would have thought that the Barbie movie would surpass $575 million in domestic earnings (as of August 29, 2023), making it Warner Bros.' highest-grossing release in the U.S.? This clever and nostalgic film has also crossed the $1 billion mark worldwide, setting a record as Warner Bros.' most successful movie ever.
The journey of this film exemplifies how Agile principles can be effectively utilized in the film industry, offering valuable lessons on execution and delivery that can be beneficial across various sectors. If we delve into Mattel's strategies (the toy manufacturer behind Barbie), what insights can we glean from their success? Let's uncover the five key secrets.
Section 1.1: Gathering Valuable Audience Feedback
To ensure success throughout the pre-production, production, post-production, and marketing phases, the Barbie movie team employed various audience engagement strategies to gather feedback on their hypotheses and insights. They utilized test screenings—rough cut prototypes—to gauge audience reactions. Additionally, they organized focus groups with a diverse array of participants, including critics, devoted fans, and Barbie skeptics from different age brackets, to assess their responses. Online and offline surveys were also conducted to collect meaningful data.
Subsection 1.1.1: Early Audience Insights
Once the data was collected, the next step was analysis. The teams at Heyday Films, LuckyChap Entertainment, NB/GG Pictures, Mattel Films, and the marketing department harnessed data analytics tools to organize and interpret the findings. This approach allowed them to identify patterns, inform decision-making, address challenges, and validate their assumptions. Notably, the screenplay was finalized in October 2020, production commenced in January 2021, and audience feedback collection began in April 2021. This early input led to script modifications, showcasing the value of timely feedback.
Section 1.2: Targeting Core and Non-Core Audiences
A critical lesson learned from the success of the Barbie movie is the importance of engaging both core and non-core audiences. By capturing early feedback, the team could identify the values of both groups and gain critical insights. Writers Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach recognized the significance of appealing to both Barbie enthusiasts and detractors. Crafting a narrative that resonated even with those who disliked Barbie was a strategic move. The marketing team cleverly promoted the message: "IF YOU HATE BARBIE, THIS MOVIE IS FOR YOU!"
Chapter 2: Aligning Vision and Values
How can stakeholders align their vision and values to convey a unified message? This is often a challenge in organizations employing Agile methodologies due to competing priorities and misaligned visions, which can lead to unmet customer expectations.
Mattel, Warner Bros., and the film's writers each had distinct visions and values for the movie's success, which sometimes clashed with the expectations of the Barbie community. By engaging in various feedback techniques and refining their collective vision, they achieved alignment among all stakeholders.
Section 2.1: Measuring Success Effectively
How can one determine if a product or service is successful? What behavioral changes are sought from the audience, and what metrics signify success? Surprisingly, many organizations fail to accurately measure success.
The Barbie movie team established a S.M.A.R.T. framework to gauge their achievements—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound. They closely monitored key performance indicators (KPIs) to track shifts in audience behavior and market performance. Their box office target was set at $800 million to break even, but they surpassed this, earning over $1 billion. Audience satisfaction was measured with an aim for an A- on CinemaScore, currently rated A+. Critically, they aimed for at least 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, achieving an impressive 94%. Their trailer's social media views exceeded the goal of 10 million, reaching over 100 million. Furthermore, they aimed for a 5% increase in merchandising sales, ultimately exceeding this with a 10% rise in market share, resulting in over $500 million in revenue.
In conclusion, the five techniques demonstrated by the Barbie movie offer invaluable insights into Agile delivery and execution. These principles can be adapted to any industry to achieve similar rewarding results. Agile methodologies emphasize early customer feedback, incremental value delivery, ongoing collaboration, and iterative adaptation, all of which were evident in the film's execution, from screenplay revisions to marketing.
If you haven't seen this movie yet, I highly recommend it; there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Thanks for reading!
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