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Repeat after me: repetition is a good thing

June, 2023

Erica Jones, Account Director at Kent-based PR, marketing and public affairs agency Maxim explains why it's important to repeat yourself.

You know that song you hear on the radio? The one that seems to play in every shop, every ad break and anywhere else music can appear, non-stop for weeks. The one that, like it or not, you realise you know every word to?

That song is an important lesson in the power of repetition because – whether you want to or not – you know every word and note of it.

Admittedly, it’s also a lesson that too much repetition is a bad thing, but get the repetition right, carefully balance it between other distractions, and that song could have become a pleasant earworm.

What’s that got to do with marketing?

Marketing needs repetition if it’s to be noticed. I’m not talking in your face, non-stop bombardment. Instead you want carefully planned, gentle repetition, more like the effect of the pleasant earworm. It’s there, striking but not offensively so, hopefully even pleasant to notice, because with repetition comes familiarity.

The simplest way of repeat marketing is placing a repeat advert in a newspaper or magazine. This is effective and easy because the publication will come out at regular intervals, meaning you can be certain your advert will be distributed at those times. Television or radio advertising also naturally involves repetition, as you choose how many times your advert will be broadcast, usually over a set period.

Once, twice, three times...

Posters or billboards are static so they offer a slightly different form of repetition: repeat footfall as they rely on a person passing and noticing more than once. You’d capitalise on this form of marketing by, for example, placing adverts at a series of bus stops so that even if pedestrians or road users missed your first poster, they’ll hopefully spot the second or third.

This is because repetition isn’t just about building up a memory, it’s also about ensuring you’re seen in the first place.

One advert is definitely better than nothing, but what if your target audience has a sick day? They miss reading their favourite publication, they don’t switch on the TV or radio and they don’t leave the house to see your poster. Fortunately, you placed a repeat advert so when they do go out next week, there’s a good chance they’ll see your advert.

Variety is the spice of life

There’ll be an even better chance of them seeing it if you spread your repetition across more than one platform: Balance print with TV and/or radio, then catch an even wider audience with those posters. Then expand your promotion further with a few additional activities such as a trade listing or sponsorship of an event.

While doing some or all of the above, you’ll also make sure you follow your own brand guidelines and run one coherent advertising campaign: repeating the message and style across all platforms. So the wording from your magazine advert will be spoken on the radio, or seen and heard on the television. The posters will also repeat the wording and imagery of that printed advert too, giving you… you guessed it… more repetition.

This repetition is important because encounter a thing once and it might register in your brain or it might be missed. Encounter it twice and there’s more chance of it sinking in. Three or more times and, like that song on the radio, you’re increasing the chances of your message being registered and remembered.

That’s the magic of repeat marketing.

This article originally appeared in Kent Director.

Erica Jones - Account Director

Erica Jones

Maxim / Account Director

posted in: advice, marketing,

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