Steady Wins the Race: Why Consistency is Key in Campaign Messaging
New Campaign message? Not so fast…
In the world of marketing, there is often a strong temptation to change your messaging frequently in order to keep up with the latest trends or to respond to changes in the market. However, it’s important to use a data-led approach to determine if switching your messaging is best for you to achieve your goals.
A new year, new quarter or new campaign is not reason enough to switch it up. Why? Because your messaging should have already been carefully constructed to express your brand’s identity and customer promise in the language of your target market. That means if there have not been any major changes around what you are trying to achieve your messaging should still be functional, and any decision to change it should be based on research that shows that it isn’t working or being well received by your audience.
A major mistake a lot of local brands make is not giving their messaging time to catch on. As a Jamaican millennial and child of the late 90s I can think of several brand messages from my formative years.
Play along with me, and fill in the blanks:
Supligen _____you up!
Milo, food drink of ________.
Island Dairies is the very ________.
Red Label Wine, turn on the ______.
Bonus:
And ofcourse we trust Anchor because we know the cows are fed on _______ ______ grass.
The longevity of the messaging of these brands in some cases lasted years, and are etched into the minds of a generation of Jamaicans. What has your brand done that has stood the test of time? Or better yet, what will your brand do? (Let’s collaborate and find out).
To be clear, you can always change the creative, and the way you bring to life your messaging but the key value propositions, slogans, and branding elements need to have time to permeate the market and create an impact, and if you’re strategic enough and have a sprinkle of luck they may even seep into pop culture. We see this on the international scene over and over again. We know at Burger King we can “have it our way”, customised just the way we like, and that “15 minutes could save you 15% or more” with Geico because these messages have been hammered home year after year.
Here are a few reasons why:
Consistent messaging builds brand recognition and trust
When you use the same messaging over time, you help to build recognition of your brand in the minds of your target audience. This familiarity can help to build trust and credibility, which in turn can help to increase conversions and sales. On the other hand, changing your messaging too frequently may confuse your audience and make it more difficult for them to recognise your brand. This can lead to a lack of trust, and may even cause them to switch to a competitor who has a more consistent message.
Consistent messaging allows for better testing and optimization
When you keep your messaging consistent, you have a better chance of accurately measuring the impact of your campaigns over time. By comparing the results of campaigns with consistent messaging, you can more accurately identify which tactics and channels are most effective for your brand. If you change your messaging too frequently, it becomes more difficult to determine which changes are responsible for any improvements or declines in performance. This can make it more challenging to optimise your campaigns for maximum impact.
Consistent messaging helps to reinforce your brand’s core values and mission
When you use the same messaging over time, you have an opportunity to reinforce your brand’s core values and mission. This helps to build a deeper emotional connection with your audience, which can lead to increased loyalty and advocacy. If you change your messaging too frequently, you may dilute the impact of your brand’s core values. This can make it more difficult to build a loyal following, as your audience may feel uncertain about what your brand stands for.
While it’s important to experiment and try new ideas, it’s equally important to maintain consistency in your messaging to build brand recognition, establish trust and credibility, maintain focus on your campaign goals, and create a baseline for testing and research. By striking the right balance between experimentation and consistency, you can create effective campaigns that resonate with your audience and achieve your marketing goals. Follow the research, trust the data, stick to the script and aim for timeless, long-term messaging that will live in the hearts and minds of your customers.
(That’s if you have the media budget to get it there, but that’s for another post).