You know the scene: a family packed into the car, kids in the back, mom riding shotgun, and dad at the wheel. They’re headed for the lake, but it’s a 4-hour drive.
The first hour? Smooth sailing. Everyone’s happy, the kids are quiet.
But as hour two hits, the inevitable starts:
“Dad, are we there yet?”
Mom says, “Almost,” and they keep going.
By hour three, the kids are restless.
“I’m bored! Are we there yet?” one kid moans.
“Yeah, when will we get there?” the other chimes in.
And so it begins. “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Mom, Dad, are we there yet?”
It’s funny in the movies, isn’t it?
But in real life? As any parent will tell you, not so much!
Now imagine that same relentless repetition applied to branding.
A message repeated too often can quickly go from memorable to irritating.
So, how do you hit that sweet spot? Where repetition reinforces your brand but doesn’t make people tune out?
We’re diving into exactly that, showing you how to turn up your brand’s volume without becoming background noise.
Tackling The Shiny Object Syndrome
Before anything, let’s talk a bit about why marketers even get derailed in their brand messaging in the first place.
Most marketers who look at their ads and campaigns often think, “Man, everyone must be tired of hearing this by now.” And yes, to you, as a marketer, the one that’s neck deep in the campaigns, projects, and brand messaging, it can get a little too much.
This is where the “shiny object syndrome” rears its ugly head.
After doing campaigns and slogans several times, you probably feel you should switch it up. New trends come and new ideas knock on the door so you try it out—even if the previous ones were working fine.
However, jumping around and switching dilutes your message. Instead of fully immersing in your brand through repetition, you switch too fast and your audience forgets you.
In marketing and branding, consistency and repetition always beats novelty.
You might be tired of sharing and repeating your brand’s message, but your audience isn’t. They’ve barely heard it except a few times amidst all the noise they’ve encountered that day or week.
As a brand, if you’re bored with your messaging, your audience is likely to just start noticing it. Stay the course and let repetition do its job!
Why Does Repetition Work?
You are a creature of habit.
Whether it’s watching your favorite TV shows every Friday night or exercising first thing in the morning, familiarity and predictability bring humans a lot of comfort. This comfort is what repetition taps into.
The Cognitive Science Insight
There’s a psychological phenomenon called the mere exposure effect. This phenomenon shows how people form a preference for certain things, actions, or brands because they feel familiar.
In short, the more exposed you are to a brand or thing, the more you’ll like them.
Think about it, how often do you remember a brand simply because you keep seeing their ads or their logo everywhere? That’s no accident.
It’s a lot like meeting a new friend and then hanging out with that friend almost daily, you start trusting them as you get to know them.
Repetition Creates Emotional Resonance
More than helping us remember, one key aspect of repetition is it forms emotional connections.
Ever wonder why that catchy classic jingle during the holidays makes you feel warm, jolly, nostalgic, or giddy? Just a few notes, maybe a lyric or two, instantly transports you to a memory, feeling, or distinct experience.
You’ll find this technique of repetition used by big brands everywhere. It’s not just jingles or ads, it’s also the taglines, the colors, and the themes they create. All of these are designed to resonate with the audience emotionally.
How to Craft Your Message (Because You Need Something Worth Repeating)
Solidifying Your Brand Voice
Before you can take advantage of repetition in your brand, you have to have something worth repeating. This is where getting your brand voice and message right comes in.
First, let’s talk about the brand voice. Does your brand exude a fun or quirky voice? Maybe you’re more professional or formal? Or even somewhere in between? Whatever it is, your brand voice often dictates how you will use repetition.
The brand voice decides the tone, the phrases you will use, how you say it, and the language of what you want to say.
It’s a lot like having a personal playlist, if you’re a straight-up punk rocker, you likely won’t add a slow jazz track to your playlist.
What’s Your Message?
Once you’ve nailed your brand voice, it’s time to finesse a message that’s worth repeating.
Ask yourself, what is it that you want your audience to remember or feel when they hear your brand? Come up with 2 to 3 key messages that sum up what your brand is about. These will be your golden eggs.
Whether it’s your mission statement, a tagline, or a unique selling proposition (USP), you want these key messages to take center stage when promoting your brand.
You can use this quick and simple template to jot down your core message:
- Brand Promise: ________________
- Unique Value: ________________
- Core Message: ________________
Keep Your Message Consistent
Do you wear mismatched socks to a fancy, formal dinner? Probably not!
And it’s the same with your brand message, you want to stay consistent throughout. Just look at how Apple does it. They’ve always oozed simplicity and innovation in their products and advertising.
The products may change and the decades may pass but they still stick to a consistent message of simplicity and innovation.
Repeating Your Visual Identity
Repetition is more than what you say, how you look matters a lot too!
This means repetition in your logo, fonts, and colors are just as important as the ones in your message. Nike’s swoosh logo and Coke’s distinctive red cans are all immediately recognizable, right? It’s visual repetition done masterfully.
Like your message, your audience needs to be reminded of your visuals again and again. This means consistent packaging, logo design, colors, and general visual style. Don’t be afraid to showcase this repetition on your website, social media platforms, marketing materials, and products.
Have a Visual Style Guide and Stick to It!
Keep a style guide for your brand. The guide needs to cover your brand colors, fonts, logo, and even photography or other creative assets.
Having a visual style guide keeps everything cohesive, regardless of where and how your audience encounters your brand.
Of course, sticking to a visual style and repeating it over time doesn’t mean you can’t be creative or change anything as your brand evolves.
For example, you can refresh logo designs over the years while still keeping your brand distinct and recognizable to your audience.
Here are a few brands that have done just that:
As you can see, it is possible to add a creative flair to your brand visuals without completely losing your brand voice and messaging.
Effective Repetition Strategies and How To Use It For Your Brand
Use It On All Channels
Once you have your core message sorted out, it’s time to share it. Don’t just share it on your website or newsletter, make it a prominent message on your social media, email marketing, and even your ads (in print or digital!)
Repetition and consistency across all platforms can create a seamless experience for your audience. Remember the mere exposure effect, they need to be able to see your message consistently so your brand will start feeling familiar and trustworthy.
Change It Up
You don’t have to make repetition boring. Keep everything fresh by changing how you deliver your message to your audience.
One day it can be in the form of a video, maybe it shows up as an infographic in another. You can also create a blog post or take advantage of short-form content like Reels or YouTube Shorts to share your message.
The message you share can stay the same but since you’re changing up the delivery format, you’ll showcase it in an exciting new way for your audience.
Years after it was released, many still remember Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign because it was everywhere–in social media, stores, and on TV. The campaign and messaging were consistent and delivered on a host of platforms to reach the widest audience possible.
Make Use of Slogans and Taglines
Get creative with your taglines and slogans. Nike’s “Just Do It” is probably one of the most famous taglines ever.
Consider having one for your brand as well. Taglines and slogans are great for repetition because they capture the essence of your brand in just a few words or phrases.
Offer Testimonials and Showcase Social Proof
It’s stronger when someone else is promoting your brand for you. Instead of promoting your message yourself, have your satisfied customers do it.
You can share stories and actively ask for testimonials from your clients. This not only showcases proof of your product or service but also reinforces your trustworthiness as a brand.
Having customers collaborate with your brand is a great repetition strategy while also acknowledging what your audience has to say.
Make it a part of your social strategy to highlight customer testimonials on your Instagram or Facebook pages. You can also dedicate an entire page for testimonials on your website or weave it into your landing page.
How To Repeat Without Being Annoying
Know Your Audience Inside Out
This is one of the trickiest things to do because repetition can get annoying if you’re not careful. It always pays to know who your audience is and what preferences they might have.
To make it easier for you, use social media polls or email surveys, asking your audience how often they want to hear from you.
You can also test out different posting times or frequencies to find a sweet spot.
Get The Timing Right
With repetition, timing is everything! You can’t just keep posting the same thing day in and day out. Always give your audience breathing room and spread out your message over time. Make it seem as if it’s a friendly nudge instead of a huge billboard hounding them throughout their day.
To map out your postings, make use of the content calendar. Schedule and spread it throughout the month, and don’t forget to mix it up. Use different formats including product tips, stories, Q&A, and more to make it interesting.
Keep Track of Engagement
Always keep track of your engagement metrics, like comments, conversions, shares, and likes. If it’s positive, then you know your repetition is working. However, if your audience is tuning out, then switch it up because it might be a sign that you’re losing appeal.
Don’t be afraid to change things up if the numbers start falling. This will help you refine your approach or fine-tune your messaging if it’s not landing for your audience.
Keeping the feedback loop open with your audience is also a great idea. Ask them directly for recommendations or suggestions, what they would love to see, and what they don’t want to see. This can help you make better decisions for your marketing and your brand.
Wrapping Up
Repetition is your best friend, but it can turn into your worst enemy if you’re not careful. Giving up too soon or pivoting because you want to try something “new” is a common issue with marketers.
If you’re not seeing immediate results with your campaigns, keep going and keep repeating.
Remember that family traveling in the car? Even though the kids may seem annoying to the parents with their constant questioning, once they get to the lake, they’ll celebrate and forget everything else about their time in the car.
When you have a solid message, always repeat it with intention. Then get creative with how you share this with your audience, by doing so, you can keep your brand at the forefront of everyone’s mind without making them cringe.
So, what’s holding you up?
Think about your brand’s messaging and how or where you can infuse strategic repetition into it.
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Ready to do the repeat? Let’s chat! Book a call today with Nicole Steffen Design (that’s me!) and we’ll help you hit all the right notes without overplaying your hand.
