Imitation is often said to be the sincerest form of flattery, and when it comes to marketing your brand, you could do a lot worse than looking to the biggest names in business.

In today’s article, we’re going to look at Nike, Netflix and Apple, and pick one thing they do really well.

Read on to get the scoop.

Nike

You don’t become the biggest sports apparel brand in the world simply by selling the best shoe. Under Armor, Adidas, Reebok and Asics could all lay claim to this throne.

No, what Nike does better than any rival is inspire emotion in people.

It began in 1988 when a simple slogan showed up at the end of an ad. The ad in question showed Walt Stack tackling the Golden Gate Bridge at the age of 80. Stack’s message was one of hope. No matter your age – get up and put in the miles. As for the slogan? It was “Just Do It.” Simplicity incarnate, this catchphrase works because it’s deceptively self-evident.

Takeaway: A simple catchphrase turned Nike’s fortunes around. Effective advertising inspires – and often hones in on people who believe they’re too old to keep living a life in full.

Netflix

Netflix’s ascent should come as no surprise. The brand has consistently been able to adapt to the times, pivoting from a model based on putting DVDs in the mail, to a service based in the cloud.

This adaptability has given it an edge in the race: by being the first to own the streaming space it has brand recognition. And with that comes an enormous customer base.

But Netflix doesn’t rest on its laurels. It uses Big Data to understand more.

According to a Selerity blog post, most of the content we consume on the platform has been specially recommended to us. “Netflix collects several data points to create a detailed profile on its subscribers. The profile is far more detailed than the personas created through conventional marketing.”

In short, Netflix tries to understand who we are so that we’re more likely to get served content we like. 50% of its customers are over 35, and a good proportion of these people are 55+. By curating a database of classics, Netflix keeps its older clientele happy. Markets outside of the US, which often skew younger, have different content to match. Yes, this is in part because of licensing laws, but there’s always a concerted effort to analyze, understand, and please.

Takeaway: Big Data is at the heart of everything Netflix does. By understanding their market, they can serve the content people want – including seniors. Your marketing strategy should incorporate analytics at every turn.

Apple

As we’ve pointed out in previous articles, over-55s command tremendous spending power, yet brands often think they need to be speaking to the young.

One brand that hasn’t made this mistake is Apple.

It begins with a design philosophy that emphasizes ease-of-use and continues in a form factor that oozes premium appeal.

Apple understands that people are prepared to pay for quality, and an estimated 30% of smartphone users over 55 choose the brand in America.

Takeaway: Brands often try to undercut the competition by going cheap. Apple goes the other way – and it curries favor with an older generation that has the spending power to keep pace.