Excavating Marketing Treasures from Raiders of the Lost Ark

Seemingly incongruent in its contrast of dry wit with epic adventure, low level gags vs. intense perilous conditions, swashbuckling jumped into movie goers’ hearts in 1981 with the release of Indiana Jones and Raiders of Lost Ark!

Snakes, Why Did It Have to be Snakes?

Deep in the crevices of the Well of Souls, Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) and Marion (Karen Allen), with torch in hand, straddle, crawl and sidestep in between the slithering snakes beneath their feet. Throughout, Indiana thwarts his fears, focusing not on the smarmy obstacles in front of him, but on the knowingly positive outcome that awaits. How can you climb out of the darkness and into your own light, pushing away the boulders, skeletons, and reptiles, dead or alive, in front of you?

Where’s Your Fedora Hat?

Against the lit foreground of Marion’s Himalayan bar, the camera pans to the silhouette of a man with a familiar fedora hat and forever locks into our memory the unique brand persona that is Indiana Jones. Adding to his character’s raw strength, Indiana’s crackling whip deepens the audience’s understanding of Indiana’s focus on locating rare antiquities and deriding competitive forces, whether of this world or not. Is your company’s image remarkable, enabling a strong brand presence?

Eyes Closed, Heart Wide Open

The ominous tone, the angel beast’s terrifying takeover of the mercenaries’ spoils, Indiana’s eyes were closed shut, yet his heart, body and mind were vulnerable to what could, should, and did happen. Pushing away the natural desire to view what should not be seen, to peer into the soul of the forbidden, Indiana firmly shut his eyes and instructed Marion to likewise do the same. Without peering into the ark, Indiana would miss out on personally viewing what his entire life’s work had been about – to seek the unfound before anyone else. Indiana’s non-compliance with what he thought he knew, his trusting of his heart demonstrates a successful brand’s honesty with itself – to know oneself, to be true to the brand, despite powerful forces that will decry a different agenda.

See other business parallels in Raiders of the Lost Ark? Tweet me at @circledotmktg.