In the space of a few highly public media interviews, Olympic medalist Bruce Jenner became Caitlyn Jenner right before the world’s eyes. This transition has been immensely important for the transgender community, as it is educating and informing a large portion of the public that previously didn’t know much about transgender individuals. It is also a huge personal development for Caitlyn, with many marketing benefits to go with her personal journey.
Caitlyn’s Personal Journey
One of the reasons why Caitlyn Jenner has become a household name over the course of only a few months is because America has witnessed her personal journey through a very difficult and confusing time. The explanation that she has always been a woman but has spent most of her life in a man’s body has been something that many people find interesting and seek to learn more about. Moreover, the transgender community has embraced her as an icon that has helped provide awareness and education about this situation. Caitlyn has effectively let us into one of the most sensitive parts of her life, and this has allowed the public to become more aware and engaged in her transition.
Education and Re-introduction
The manner in which Caitlyn re-entered the public eye and won the attention of most of the country is very much worth noting. America not only got to see her before and after her transition, but they got a crash course education on the effects of such a transition. Caitlyn did interviews on some of the most prestigious news shows in the world and remained very open and honest during the entire process. At the same time, she provided frank discussion of what the transition meant and how people should be expected to react to transgender individuals. This took a subject that many Americans previous had no interest in and educated them on the matter, making them engaged and interested.
The Reveal
With all of this engagement and education work put in place, the big moment came when Caitlyn was revealed in her new identity on the cover of Vanity Fair. This moment of truth drew interest and commentary from people across social media, in print and network news, and pundits who normally have no opinion on the world of gender identity. It became one of the highest-selling copies of Vanity Fair and now stands as the iconic moment when the world got to see the new Caitlyn for who she is. This was the culmination of months of hard work and planning, bringing the journey that America had been on as they traveled with Caitlyn to a dramatic and satisfying conclusion.
If you want the secret to great marketing, you can take a look at what Caitlyn Jenner accomplished to make her story happen. Start with a compelling personal tale that is unusual enough to get people’s attention, add a high degree of engagement and education, and then finish up with a big reveal that will be in people’s minds for years to come.