Quizzical Brand Lessons From Beloved Curious George

Countless children grew up learning from the world’s favorite troublesome monkey: Curious George. Curious George was a famously popular children’s book series created by Margret and H.A. Rey which later became a PBS animated television series. Now having sold over 75 million book copies worldwide, Curious George also released three feature-length films. With such a long-lasting and well-defined character, Curious George has many branding lessons to share.?

Here are three branding lessons from children’s character Curious George:

Use color thoughtfully.

There is one factor that makes any Curious George book, movie, or product instantly recognizable - its use of the color bright yellow. Its books are always plastered in the color, and the only other recurring character in the original stories is George’s friend, The Man with the Yellow Hat, wears it every day. The Man always wears his trademark yellow hat, as well as an outfit entirely in yellow. The constant use of the color yellow reinforces the playful nature of the series, but also its brand. Be mindful of your color choices so that your audience will know exactly what to expect, but also make your brand instantly recognizable.

Lean into the silly.

Curious George himself is written as if he were a toddler, so he is constantly getting himself into silly situations. One of the franchise’s qualities that pulls in children and adults alike is its ability to be unapologetically silly. The crazy situations that he gets himself into as well as his silly little personality, are so endearing, they have become the backbone of the Curious George brand. Find a bit of silly and use it to make your brand more memorable.

Speak to universal experiences.

Authors Margret and H.A. Rey wrote seven original Curious George book stories between 1941 and 1966. Each of these books revolved around basic, nearly universal human experiences: learning to read, getting sick, riding a bike, flying a kite, working, and doing something for the community. The biggest reason that these books resonated with their audience so well is because of their common humanity. How can your brand speak to universal human experiences?

Whether learning to use color to thoughtfully connect with your audience or learning to loosen up and lean into the silly, this 80-year-old children’s brand can lend numerous lessons to your brand.

Read more on Forbes: Quizzical Brand Lessons From Beloved Curious George

Curious about building a brand for introverts and more personal insights from Goldie? Subscribe here:?goldiechan.com/introvertsbrand