GREAT SCOTT! It’s Back to the Future Day…

It’s been a week of ups and downs for the Curated Team. With every positive there was a negative: we got a new whiteboard, and then the pen didn’t work; SEO man Douglas bought the team biscuits, only for someone to buy full fat milk (the horror).

However, all of our problems can be resolved by thinking about Wednesday 21st October. It’s a day that has been long circled in the calendars of (some of) the Curated Media team, as we get ready to put on those self-tying high-top trainers, unzip our life preservers and have some Pepsi Perfect. Prepare for some 80s throwbacks and some real nerd references, it’s Back to The Future Day!

This week, we take a look at Back to the Future Day and why some marketers are tapping into it.

What Is Back to The Future Day?

Back to the Future Day celebrates the day that is Marty McFly and Doc Brown’s destination in the second instalment of the Back to the Future trilogy. In the film, the heroes fly from 1985 to 21st October 2015. Naturally, they find themselves in a period with futuristic technology, hoverboards and flying cars.

Why Is There so Much Hype?

While some days occur annually, such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Star Wars Day (not going to say which one is the most important), Back to the Future Day is unique. It is a once in a lifetime event. Heavy, right?

Naturally, people are using it to celebrate the film, get nostalgic about the 80s and laugh at some of its bold predictions, such as Jaws 19 being released in the cinema, children having hoverboards rather than skateboards and shoes with power laces. In the film, a fax was considered to be one of the modern communications tools in 2015 and CDs were still the most commonly used music format.

However, Back to the Future II did make some predictions that are now somewhat accurate, such as video conferencing, hands-free gaming and tablets. It also poked fun at our obsession with 3D movies and sequels, and maybe even the Cubs winning the World Series (which even according to the screenwriters was a joke prediction).

How Does Back to the Future Day Affect Marketing?

Many companies have used Back to the Future Day as part of their marketing strategy, with Pepsi, Toyota and others weighing in to be part of one of the fastest growing trends in 2015. Indeed, according to Google Trends, the phrase Back to the Future Day rose from 9 in January 2015 to 100 in October (100 being the highest possible score, certifying that the phrase has reached the loft heights of being a trend). This was clearly from the date drawing closer, but also from companies announcing that they would be celebrating the day by releasing products to honour the film.

For example, Universal created a trailer for Jaws 19 (which has been watched on YouTube 1.5 million times). Nike released limited edition trainers from the film. Toyota had an advert with two stars of the film discussing the predictions. Pepsi released a Pepsi Perfect bottle for a limited period.

Our blogs in the past have spoken of the importance of trends as a way of relating to customers. It is clear from the number of companies discussing or releasing products relating to Back to the Future just how important, and delightful, embracing the trend can be. It has the potential to improve your marketing and let your business show its lighter side, in a way that appeals to your target audience.

Back to the Future Day: How to Celebrate

While some people might believe that Back to the Future day is just another silly made-up internet day, such as Star Wars Day or Speak Like A Pirate Day (how dare you), the real joy in Back to the Future Day is people coming together to reminisce about a trilogy that has been watched by countless children and adults.

At Curated Media, we plan to celebrate by dressing up (or wearing high tops) and drinking Pepsi. Between creating and distributing our high-quality content for law firms, we might just sneak in the Jaws 19 trailer and look to the sky for flying cars.
Time circuit's on. Flux capacitor’s fluxing. Engine’s running. All right. Team Curated out.

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