Give me the same, only different.
Score: Ludwig van Beethoven
The best marketing campaigns strike a fine balance. Each piece stands on its own, but the whole suite of messages is clear and cohesive.
To strike that balance, it’s essential to remember the principle of “theme and variations.” The theme is the one thing you have to say to the world. It’s the idea at the heart of your brand and value proposition, and it never really changes.
The variations keep things fresh. They give customers a new reason to pay attention, and the word “pay” is important. When a customer pays attention, they’re investing their most valuable resource – time.
Be worth the investment. Give them a return that makes them want to re-invest with more time and attention in your company. Share something of value – an expert insight, a helpful connection, or a way of doing business that can make things better.
If they like what they’re getting, eventually they’ll ask for more.
If you’d like help applying these principles to your marketing, email Rustle & Spark today.
To hear a great example of reusing an idea so it always sounds fresh, revisit the first movement of Beethoven’s 5th symphony in C minor, or “Seven Variations on God Save the King.”
Re-using the main idea gives the piece focus while sustaining listeners’ interest.
If you’d like to learn more, or apply these principles to your marketing and communications, just drop us a line.