the year was 2012 either you were shouting or dancing Gangam Style talking about the upcoming US elections and if Obama will win a second time or you we are talking about this elegant charismatic and Confident Woman dressed in a white cat who was repeatedly saying words like it's handled white hat Gladiators in a suit Olivia Pope graced our TVs and became instantly adulted by girls and women all around around the world and by girls around the world I mean me but I don't think that was hip to Scandal when it first came out I think I caught on to it like a few years later when and then I became instantly hooked maybe it was due to the fact that I had never seen a black female lead in a TV series before or maybe there was something about Olivia that was so captivating and magnetic or maybe it was due to the fact that every time she stepped on my TV screen she owned it this was because Olivia was not just a character she was a brand a brand that represented power intelligence and sophistication a brand that appeals to million of viewers who wanted to be just like her or be with her a brand that was carefully crafted by the show's creators Shonda rymes and Betsy Bears who knew how to Market their products to the mercies so much so that 5 years after the show ended clips from the show went viral on Tik Tok in 2023 and that's what we will explore in this video essay how Scandal leveraged branding to create one of the most iconic and influential female characters in television history despite her sometimes shady and questionable tactics and the lessons that you can learn from it for your own brand elevation but first what is branding in business branding not to be mistaken with marketing is the process of creating something that identifies and differentiates a product or service from other products or services in the market this differentiation will help establish a special connection and loyalty with customers but to do this and do it well there are several elements that need to be mixed together and know it's not just logos and color palettes even though are part of it there are several steps that most people Skip With that being said let's get into it starting with the most obvious one that everyone knows about I'm sure you've seen Olivia's iconic white coat and her preference for neutral colors and her elegant accessories which she has worn throughout the series now for an untrained this business eye this may look normal but from a branding perspective this is strategy mixed with psychology here's what I mean her white coat symbolized her desire to be on the S side of justice and morality even when she had to deal with corruption and Scandal her neutral colors reflected her calm and composed demeanor even when she faced chaos and danger her elegant accessories showed her sophistication and professionalism even when she had to deal with personal and emotional issues so her visual identity was not just about her appearance but it was also about her personality her values and her goals and why is this important in branding well you see having a unique visual identity is a powerful tool to attract engage and retain your customers and it also helps you to create create a strong impression and a lasting connection it subtly communicates your message about who you are without you even having to say too much and it also helps you create your unique selling point and then stand out from your competitors but just having a visual identity is not enough to create an elevated brand without this next step remember this words it's handled Gladiators white hat Olivia used these words frequently throughout the series but they were not just words they were actually statements that conveyed her beliefs her values and her goals but they were also tools that she used to influence persuade and motivate others here's what I mean let's look at each one of them starting with it's handled this was Olivia's signature phrase that she used whenever she faced a problem or a challenge every time a client calls her she always says it's handled what that means is that she was confident capable and in control of the situation it also meant that she was reliable trustworthy and efficient she was using this phrase to reassure her clients her team and also herself that she could handle anything that came her way and in a way it's handled also implied that she had a solution or a strategy for every scenario this phrase made her brand stand out as a leader a problem solver and a crisis manager like one of the best let's move on to the next one white heart this was the symbol that Olivia used to represent her moral code and ethical standards it meant that she was on the side of good the side of justice and the side of Truth it also meant that she was willing to sacrifice compromise and risk everything for what she believed in she used the symbol to remind herself and others of her values and principles and to challenge them to do the right thing also white heart is the opposite of black heart and black heart represents evil corruption and lies so having the white heart and saying it all the time she actually had a literal white heart it shows that her brand is a hero and a role model right now moving on to Gladiators that was the term that Olivia used to refer to her team what this meant what Gladiators meant was that they were Fighters they were warriors they were Champions who were willing to do whatever it took to protect their clients and each other it also meant that they shared a common Vision a common vision and a common culture they were not just employees they were a family they were not just colleagues they were friends they were not just workers they were Gladiators this time made her brand stand out as a mentor a coach and a team player why is this important in branding a Common Language helps you to create a memorable and an emotional connection with your target audience it helps you to communicate your message in a form way so you know if you have a slogan or a tagline or a common language it helps you differentiate yourself because every time people talk about that or they say that term or or that slogan or that phrase they will think of your brand and if others don't know what the other people are talking about they will go on to find out ooh what's that about so it's really important but now that you've got a visual identity and a Common Language what's [Music] next remember the term Gladiators earlier on well Olivia took took it a step further and added three more words to it Gladiators in a suit man who didn't want to be a gladiator in a suit be truthful you wanted to be a gladiator in a suit Olivia often referred to her team as Gladiators in suits because they were Fairless they were loyal and they were willing to fight for justice and Truth the term also implied that they are were they were well-dressed professional and sophisticated now I want you to think of your favorite musicians who have loyal fan basis one of the things they have in common is that their fans have a community name just like the bubs the swifties or the Believers these names are important because they create a sense of belonging a sense of identity and pride among the fans they also make the fans feel connected to the brand or the artist but they also make them feel connected to each other every time you hear people say oh I'm a b are you about to or this and that they connected to each other and that way they come together to spread the message fast a community name is a powerful way to elevate your brand and increase loyalty people want to be part of something that's just how we are as human beings we want to be part of something and giving people a name and identity we like to be identified with something that's why we like to be identified with our cultures or with our countries where we come from our we like to be identified with something if your community a name and you can do this with some tips of think of what your brand stands for and what your values are and that you share with your audience and think of what or phrases that capture that value or those those those Essences of your brand right maybe you can even ask your audience what names they will suggest but just make sure that it's catchy it's memorable and it's easy to spell and understand people don't want to be struggling to to know what your slogan is or your tagline is okay now personally I think these three strategies were really crucial but I think this final one is the real reason why women around the world loved Olivia women and men even men loved Olivia too and by the way if you're looking for a community-led educational platform that teaches branding content marketing storytelling launching public speaking and more for brand owners then brands that connect H is for you I'll link it in the description let's move on to the final final step listen if we're being real Olivia had some questionable tactics and morals sometimes but we loved her anyway because she sold us a feeling a feeling of being powerful confident and in control a feeling of being being able to handle anything any situation no matter how complex or messy it is a feeling of being a gladiator in a suit this feeling was not only conveyed by her words or by her appearance which I've already said this feeling was also conveyed in her signature work remember how Olivia used to stride and work you know that fastpac trbe that she used to do that work showed her determination Authority and efficiency and another thing is that she walked in this luxurious office that had this large window that overlooked the White House this is the ultimate symbol of power and influence in Washington DC Olivia's brand was not just about what she did but also about what she represented she represented a category of people who were either ambitious successful and influential or they aspired to be she represented a category of women who were strong independent and respected or that's what they aspired to be and she also represented a category of black women who were breaking barriers challenging stereotypes and making history Olivia sold us a feeling and by selling us this feeling and owning a category oliv's brand elevated her from just being a character to being an icon an icon that inspired millions of people to Aspire to be like her or to be with her an icon that generated a loyal fan base that followed her every move every Scandal and every romance we were right there in every romance with her okay so all in all Olivia Pope is a TV icon who through strategic branding inspired millions of viewers so observers have I done a great job in observing this brand elevation strategies from from scandals Olivia Pope let me know in the comments let's move this conversation in the comments