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The "Golden" Guide to Marketing and Communications

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The Golden Guide to Marketing and Communications by Kelly Greathouse

“Picture it!” Golden-Con 2023, just around the corner, with “Thank You For Being A Friend!” playing everywhere at the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk hotel. The convention brings Golden Girls fanatics together to pay homage to Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia from March 31 through April 2, 2023. Although the show ran years ago for seven seasons from 1985 through 1992, the classic TV sitcom continues to attract a loyal, cult-like following.

Of course, I may be biased. The four ladies hold a special place in my heart as my mother and I enjoyed watching reruns together through my formative years. Nuggets of life and marketing insights can be pulled from the scenarios featured in the half-hour episodes. Key takeaways include, but are not limited to the following:

Tackle the tough topics. From Season 2 when Dorothy’s friend Jean comes to town and develops a crush on Rose, to Sophia being forced to cope with her friend’s decision to end her life in Season 5, the four ladies featured in the Golden Girls never hide from a hard discussion or intense moment. Marketers are well served to be fearless enough to tackle the tough topics just like the writers of this show.

( Episode references: Season 2, Episode 5 - “Isn’t It Romantic?” and Season 5, Episode 7 - “Not Another Monday”)


When in doubt, cheesecake! This dessert has magical powers on the show. Fanatics estimate that the ladies ate more than a hundred cheesecakes during the run of the show to talk out their issues or problems. In one episode alone from season four, the Golden Girls eat two cheesecakes while discussing weight loss. While cheesecake may not be diet friendly, it offers a delicious distraction needed to give a person a fresh perspective. A simple cheesecake break could help uncover the solution to freshen up that stale marketing campaign.

(Episode reference: Season 4, Episode 22 - “Rites of Spring”)

The Golden Girls eating cheesecake together at the table.

Image courtesy of Joseph Del Valle/NBCU Photo Bank

Always find the laugh. It’s there even in the darkest of days or the most stressful situations. Dorothy, Blanche and Rose know that first hand while trying to go to a Burt Reynolds movie premiere. The trio is mistaken for ladies of the evening and arrested in a police sting operation. The laughs keep flying through the entire episode proving the value of levity when faced with any challenge.

(Episode reference: Season 2, Episode 2 - “Ladies of the Evening”)

Blanche, Dorothy and Rose behind bars talking to Sophia on the other side.

Image courtesy of ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images

Be honest. With yourself, with others, and with how you’re sharing content with the world. In Season 1, Rose meets a doctor named Jonathan Newman and gets involved in a serious relationship with him. When she invites the doctor over to dinner to meet her roommates, they realize he has dwarfism. The ensuing awkwardness shows all of us that honesty is always the best policy.

(Episode reference: Season 1, Episode 13 - “A Little Romance”)

Rose and her partner Jonathan sitting on the couch talking to Blanche who is standing.

Image courtesy of Hulu/NBC


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