What Businesses Can Learn About Branding From RuPauls Drag Race

With the immense popularity of the pop culture marvel taking the world by storm, we look to the ultimate figurehead of branding that is RuPaul Charles. Starting as a Drag Queen in the underground scene RuPaul has built one of the most recognized personal brands of today. As the 10th season of RuPaul's Drag Race comes to a close, we are taking a closer look at the show and see what we can learn as brand marketers.

Tell Your Story

The story behind a brand is one of the key elements of creating a relatable and 'human' narrative for your business. As RuPaul highlights the struggles he himself has faced and the many other conflicts a Drag Queen will face in life, such as bullying or the struggle to make it big in the world, people are able to empathise and become motivated by his success. Telling your story better emulates your passion for what you do and allows your audience to feel more connected with the brand and its authenticity.

Deliver Consistency & Receive Loyalty

A consist brand will lead to consist audience. If your brand values are emulated in all you do, every time you do it, you customers will build a trust with your brand and look to you as a reliable source of whatever goods or service you provide. The balance of consistent structure of the Drag Race episodes, coupled with shocking revelations, from double eliminations to disqualifications,  allows the fans to be fully immersed and entertained. Brands should aim to maintain their base values as well as remaining current!

Catch Phrase!

RuPaul's Drag Race is bursting with popular catch phrases that have been adopted into the everyday life of its audiences globally. In a world that thrives off new vernacular, these catch-phrases allow for the RuPaul brand to spread beyond its initial audience and reach into the lives of those who may not even realise it. Harnessing the power of the hashtag with these catch phrases allows a brand to create multiple tag lines that can be linked back to them.

Shameless Plugging

RuPaul is known for shamelessly plugging his own songs and products throughout the seasons of Drag Race, with the phrase "now available on iTunes" becoming largely associated with the man himself. This self promotion is done in such a way that entertains the audiences as well as showing a distinct passion and pride for his accomplishments. So why not show off your brand! Make sure your audiences are aware of the latest great product or service you offer! Whether you are a fan of RuPaul's Drag Race or not, it cannot be denied that the personal brand RuPaul has built is one of the greatest of the time and something all marketers can learn from. With that said, gentleman, start your engines. And may the best marketer win!