Marketing: Patterns and Repetition

I’m providing a link to an article by Mark Shillum entitled “Branding Is About Creating Patterns, Not Repeating Messages” <http://www.fastcodesign.com/1664145/brands-as-patterns?partner=homepage_newsletter>. The article discusses the utilization of patterns - not repetition - in branding. I agree with Mark, that patterns are important. However, I don’t believe that patterns alone create the powerful foundations that good branding strategies require. The close alignment of patterns with repetition makes it quite impossible for one method to operate without the other.

In comprehensive marketing strategies that include branding campaigns or marketing tools and publications, it is critical to integrate a consistent message throughout the campaign. This employs repetition, of course, because we all know that no one remembers anything that they see only once. But it also employs patterns that integrate unique elements across strategies. Using threads and themes is important in developing pattern content that will repeat across branding efforts and all other marketing and public relations elements included in marketing strategies. Threads can be driven by core company characteristics and can help in determining the elements and delivery vehicles used in campaigns and sales toolsets as well as the manner in which responses are handled.

Here are three examples:
1. A technology company should be extremely conscious of keeping its own use of technology current. If you want to market and sell your own latest and greatest technology solutions, you should be using current tools to run your business.
2. A company that depends on deep expertise in any given topic should be marketing in ways that use that expertise as a differentiator - highlighting and sharing that expertise so that it becomes a valuable tool for marketing and for recruiting.
3. A company that develops and markets totally web-based solutions should be eating its own dog food: Providing its support and helpdesk information in like format; Operating its internal processes on a web-based platform.

If you go to the article link and read the first response to Mark’s article, you will see that Vincent Wright purports the importance of repetition and indicate that developing and using a patterns (in a later response noted as threads) is repetition.This article made me stop and re-think the way patterns and repetition work together in marketing and branding strategies.

Enjoy the article. I hope it provokes some of your own thoughts about the way marketing works and how its elements should work together.