Behind every successful brand lies repetition. Let’s just recall Nike’s slogan “Just do it” or Apple’s “Think Different,” and there’s the former and perhaps future President of America, Donald Trump, with his “Make America Great Again.” There are many more similar examples, but you surely understand where this leads.
Every successful brand or political campaign repeatedly emphasizes one or two brilliant ideas. Of course, it’s not easy to crystallize which two ideas will bring success, but that’s where branding experts come in. They know exactly which idea to “push” to achieve the desired brand success.
Although most of us know that repetition is perhaps one of the most important tactics we use in marketing, we often forget it or think there are better alternatives. Established tactics should always be revisited, and that’s why we bring you several effective methods of repetition in this blog post that will produce results.
But before that…
Why is it so challenging to repeat?
Most of us feel that when we repeat ideas, words, or sentences more than once, we come across as boring to our conversation partners. And, of course, that’s how it feels to US. We take things we know for granted because we already have some knowledge about them. So, when we repeat them, they seem dull to us.
However, other people can’t read our minds. This also applies to the relationship a customer builds with a brand. Simply put, a customer can’t remember a new product if they see it only once. There’s a very slim chance anyone will remember such information as soon as they see it. It takes hearing a message, seeing a slogan, or seeing a billboard multiple times for it to stick in their memory.
And that’s why…
The first obstacle to repetition is the knowledge you possess
In situations where we talk about the “curse of knowledge” we possess, we usually mean how experts find it difficult to explain things on a basic level. This is because they have a certain level of knowledge and expect others to have the same level. This often happens when working with specific client niches, from the cryptosphere to medicine and even auto parts.
But there’s another aspect to the “curse of knowledge” that is evident in many Instagram posts, Reel videos, podcasts, and other content. Simply put, this educational content reaches a small number of people. We consider it valuable, but others only see 1% of it.
We assume (and this is the worst part) that everyone knows what we know, but that’s not true at all. At best, we can expect the customer to see a part of our marketing efforts. Based on that one part, THEY won’t even be aware of a fraction of the overall message we’re trying to convey.
So, creating content requires a much higher level of awareness, presence, and attention than consuming it. Will that be enough? Will customers consider it sufficient? They will certainly know enough, but you, as the content creator, will always know the most.
The second obstacle is curiosity
People who work in marketing are usually very curious by nature. If they aren’t, they must have become curious because of their profession. In marketing, we work with different niches and clients. Researching new trends, ideas, and phenomena is part of our daily work process.
Reading about the world around us allows us to successfully apply models and ideas from one field to another. This means that sometimes, a billboard from the automotive industry can inspire us to create a similar solution in a completely different field. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t, but the point is in the curiosity that guides us through the entire process of creating campaigns and content.
However, curiosity sometimes has its downsides. One side effect can be a feeling of saturation and boredom with a particular topic. When building a brand, this is not a good trait, as it leads to constantly seeking something new and not focusing enough on what matters.
How to repeat tactically and effectively
Repetition ties the customer to the brand. After hearing a certain message several times, the customer begins to remember and think about it. There are three levels of repetition:
- Low – when we say different messages each time.
- Medium – when we repeat the same ideas (sentence structures can be similar, but the ideas are expressed differently).
- Highest – when we repeat the same sentences (this is the case with pre-election campaigns).
The more times you repeat one idea, the more powerful it becomes and the easier it is to embed it in the customer’s memory. Likewise, with repetition, the connection between the brand and the idea becomes stronger in the customer’s perception, so they immediately associate it with your brand when they hear it.
Repeating a single phrase or sentence creates the strongest effect. There are many examples that tell us this, but let’s focus on one. The coach of the basketball team, Pesic, wrote (now a famous sentence), “All for one, one for ALL,” which became a hit on social media. Nektar Beer used it for their billboard and, using reactive marketing tactics, made a notable appearance.
Depending on how deep the relationship between the customer and the brand needs to be, these levels of repetition are used. Sometimes only the first level is enough when promoting new ideas. In other cases, which are most common, a combination of repetition levels is needed because that’s what brings the most effects.
Repeat Your Messages Often
This is our recommendation if you’re on the path to building a strong and consistent brand. It’s essential for your messages to be consistent, understandable to customers, and frequently reach them. The more times you repeat that you’re a luxurious brand, the more customers will perceive you that way. The next time they want to treat themselves to quality shoes and a handbag, and you produce exactly that, they will remember you and treat themselves to a little luxury.
If you need additional advice on brand management, make sure to contact us. We also share a lot of free knowledge and information about brands on our blog. So, read a lot of useful content on this topic and apply the advice to your product.
