Marlo's Theory: What Brands Can Learn From The Wire's Most Enigmatic Character
Marlo Stanfield was a man of few words and very slow to anger.
Getting an accurate read on his state of mind was next to impossible, but a few things become increasingly clear as you watch his journey throughout The Wire.
For one, Marlo cared deeply about his name, and he was feared because of it. Looking at the Wire with a fresh set of eyes, it made me think about brands and how he became big in the streets.
It didn’t matter what he was selling - it could’ve been bootleg dvd’s and fruit snacks. Any of that would’ve worked because Marlo was the brand, not the product.
With that in mind, today is a deep dive into the world of the Wire so we can see what some of the biggest branding lessons are the greatest villain of the series.
**Spoiler Alert: if you’ve never seen The Wire & plan on watching it, you should probably stop right here, hit the subscribe button, and wait for next week’s spoiler-free post.
LESSON #1:
“YOU WANT IT TO BE ONE WAY… BUT IT’S THE OTHER WAY”
In season 4 of The Wire, Marlo walks into a convenience store to buy water. Upon paying, he steals a few pieces of candy from the register and stares down the security guard.
The security guard reluctantly confronts Marlo in the scene you see below, but unfortunately it doesn’t go as planned.
A young Marlo reminded the security guard of his station in life, warning him that though he wants the situation to be “one way” it’s in fact the other way.
In short, “you don’t tell me what to do, I tell you.”
What’s the takeaway for brands?
The consumer dictates who you are in their lives, not you.
Believe it or not, some brands have a disdain for their customer base. They want to be for the affluent, but in reality the data could show that their offering is more suited for the average joe (something I learned saw working with a QSR brand back in the day).
That leaves them with two options:
Double down and serve those who are already buying what you’re selling
Pivot… And maybe you win… or maybe you don’t. It’s a gamble.
However, beyond marketing and in any area of life, the truth is that just because you want it a certain way, or want a certain customer, or a certain status doesn’t mean you’ll get it.
You want it to be one way, and that’s cool. But sometimes, it’s the other way.
**Bonus points if you can guess what happened to that security guard a few days after his encounter with Marlo**
LESSON #2:
“THE PRICE OF THE BRICK IS GOING UP”
So boom… Marlo goes to the Co-op meeting in season 5, and tells everyone he was the new plug to the Greeks.
If that wasn’t shocking enough, there was also speculation that he had something to do with Proposition Joe’s death (speculation that he confirmed with no hesitation).
But, the real shocker came as the meeting concluded. Marlo insisted that he would no longer be attending co-op meetings, and that the price of the brick was going up by 30 more.
Everyone was BIG MAD.
What’s The Takeaway for Brands?
This isn’t a race to the bottom. Sometimes you’ve gotta up the price - not because the costs of production went up, but because people have to remember who you are.
You have appeal to your base, no doubt. BUT, if what you’re offering is THAT GOOD, sometimes it’s only right to up the price. Remind people of your caliber, or they’ll forget. Real sh*t
LESSON #3:
“MY NAME IS MY NAME”
Marlo’s best performance in the Wire comes at the tail end of the series. He and his crew are arrested for a string of murders - and while sitting in a holding cell with his team, someone lets it slip that Omar Little (the Wire’s version of Robinhood) has been calling him out - telling everyone that Marlo is too afraid to step to him.
What happens in the scene below is possibly the only moment in the entire series where Marlo expresses anger or even raises his voice. Marlo has remained calm in the face of shootouts, robberies, police interaction etc. But when he found out that dirt was being put on his name?! All bets were off.
Why? Because, his name is his name.
What’s the Takeaway for Brands?
Your name is everything.
The 48 Laws of Power has a law that says something to the effect of “guard your reputation with your life.” Marlo knew that law, which is why he was so upset hearing that Omar was invoking his name in streets, and that his team neglected to tell him because “he didn’t need that on his mind.”
Brands should ask themselves “What do people think when my name is brought up?” because, when your word isn’t considered strong — meaning promises are broken, customer service is bad, marketing is tone deaf, etc. it can kill everything you’re doing.
But when you deliver, even if you falter once or twice, your name can carry you through the bad times.
Your name is your name, for better or worse. Guard it with your life.
LESSON #4:
“I WASN’T MADE TO PLAY THE SON”
Ahhh man. Pour one for Prop Joe.
Joe was part of the old guard. He was lowkey, under the radar and a true businessman. Joe knew that Marlo was young and wild, and because of that he did his best to befriend him. However, after a situation between Marlo & Omar pushed Joe to the outs he attempted to flee town only to run into Marlo.
In a last ditch effort to save his own life, Prop Joe asserts that he always treated Marlo like his son.
Marlo’s response?
“I wasn’t made to play the son.”
What’s the Takeaway for brands?
Marlo was like a challenger brand. He knew that that he wasn’t supposed to be anyone’s number 2.
I think too often that brands in the challenger position are too soft on calling out the bullsh*t in their category. Wendy’s does it well, and so do a few others. But by and large, if you’re a challenger you need to think like Marlo.
That means you have to actively aim to number one even if you have to take out someone who treated you like a son. And Why?
Because… You weren’t made to play the son.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Wire is full of nuggets of wisdom - and these were just a few that come from seasons 4 & 5. If you’re a fan of The Wire then you know what I’m talking about.
If you haven’t seen it yet and somehow managed to make it to the end of this piece then I encourage you to watch it. You won’t regret it.
Peace.
This is awesome. My husband put me on to this show that somehow I didn't latch onto 25 years ago. I was hooked - binge watched the whole thing. Yes these branding lessons are everything. And yea, that scene of Prop Joe hurt me too man.
When I watched The Wire when it was running, part of my attraction to the show was the identification and relationship with people in my life (myself included) from characters in the show. It was personal in an away that no other show was at the time, in no small part that they got the environment and language correct.
When I watched a couple months ago as a parent, I saw my parts of my son and his friends in the characters. It hit different. It was a much more sobering watch. Time and change.