Three Ninja Marketing Techniques to “Keep it Fresh”
More lessons from Naruto Uzumaki that every Ninja Marketer MUST master.
Last post we introduced Naruto Uzumaki, currently the world’s most popular anime ninja. His flexibility and ability to use a wide variety of different techniques and approaches is a defining part of his appeal and integral to his success as a ninja.
Let’s look specifically at three of Naruto’s favorite techniques or “jutsu”:
影分身術 (Kagebunshin) – Shadow Clone Technique
Using this technique, Naruto creates multiple replicas of himself to both attack from multiple angles and to confuse his enemies at the same time. When a marketer leverages resources, channels, alliances and technologies to appear to be in “more than one place at a time,” he or she keeps opponents on the defensive and off-guard, not knowing from which direction the next attack will come.
変り身術 (Kawarimi) — Substitution Technique
In the middle of a battle, Naruto will sometimes completely replaces himself with another object, leaving his enemy befuddled as their well timed and executed attack is utterly ineffective as gives them a ninja “head fake” and totally slips them. Few things are more satisfying for a marketing ninja than to know that an opponent’s best laid plans are going to fall flat because he or she has “changed the rules,” and has taken the battle into totally new arena where that opponent is at a distinct disadvantage.
変化術 (Henge) — Transformation Technique
When Naruto uses this jutsu (technique), he usually not only “substitutes” himself with another person or object, but actually transforms himself to appear as an ally to lull him into a false sense of security, and then attack when that enemy least expects it.
As Sun Tzu said, “Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.” Sometimes the best way for a ninja marketer to attack a more powerful opponent is to find a way to align with them in the short term, realizing that the time and opportunity will present itself to blow by and dominate the situation.
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Sneaky? Yes. Unfair? You know what they say about “love and war…”
Surprising, isn’t it, how much you can learn from a Japanese children’s cartoon show?<g>