From noise to noteworthy: How to master comms planning.

Ever feel like you're shouting into the void with your marketing? You're not alone. In today's blog, we’ll go over everything comms planning and how it can make your messages stick in a world of endless distractions. 

Consistency is king.

It's true. The name of the game has changed. Comms planning used to be a nice to have. But now, with so many channels and messages competing for attention, it's mission-critical. Gone are the days of simply existing on every platform, now it’s about crafting a cohesive experience that resonates across the board. 

For instance, think about a brand that really stuck with you. Their message just seemed to click, right? Research shows that campaigns with this kind of consistent branding are actually 2 to 8 times more effective than those that are all over the place. It's fascinating, isn't it? There's a study by the International Journal of Advertising that found when people encounter similar messages from a brand across different platforms, it actually forms a stronger memory.

Imagine a web, each interaction with your brand is a new thread, strengthening the overall structure. But what's the science behind it? Think of it this way, our brains encode information differently depending on how we encounter it. Seeing a message on social media and then hearing it on a podcast creates a richer, more lasting memory than if you'd only seen it in one place. It's like the saying ‘repetition is the mother of learning’, but with a modern twist for the multi-platform world we live in. And this isn't just about remembering a jingle. It translates to real results. When people recognise your brand consistently, it builds trust and familiarity. That can be the difference between someone choosing you over a competitor, even if they can't put their finger on exactly why. A study by the folks at Ipsos found that only 19% of advertising actually takes advantage of this consistent branding principle. Talk about a missed opportunity.

But there's a catch, right? 

You're right. It's not as simple as blasting the same ad across every channel, it's far more nuanced than that. Research has shown that while consistent branding is important, simply repeating the exact same message can backfire. It becomes like that annoying song you can't get out of your head. Good for recognition, but potentially bad for how people feel about your brand. So how do you find that sweet spot? How do you stand out without being repetitive? It's about creating a recognisable brand world, not just a repeated message. Think consistent visual elements, a memorable tagline, or even a specific tone of voice.

These act as cues that link back to your brand, even if the specific creative is different. But what about this idea that ‘more is more’ in comms planning? It's not just about being everywhere, right? We can't just bombard people with messages and expect miracles. There's a strategic element to this, almost like you need a perfectly timed dance across all these different channels. Research shows that the most successful campaigns are incredibly strategic about their media mix, the timing of their messaging, and even how they vary the creative to keep things fresh.

So it's not about being the loudest voice in the room. It's about being the most memorable. It's about understanding how each interaction influences the next. For example, have you ever noticed how seeing a movie trailer makes you more likely to watch it when it pops up on streaming later? It's almost like that first exposure preps your brain for the second one. This is a form of forward encoding and multiple source perception. Another study found that when people encounter a campaign across two different types of media, it's significantly more likely to stick with them.

So how do we put this into practice?

What are the power couples of the media world? One dynamic duo is social media and event marketing. You might think event marketing is a bit old school in today's digital age, but when combined with social media, it can lead to a massive boost in engagement and brand awareness. Event marketing creates immersive, in-person experiences that build trust and personal connections, while social media allows you to amplify those experiences to a much larger, targeted audience. People are significantly more likely to engage with a brand online after attending or hearing about an event through social channels.

So while event marketing sparks that initial interest, social media extends its reach, creating a ripple effect that drives website traffic, boosts social engagement, and fosters brand loyalty. Social posts from live events, behind-the-scenes content, and real-time interactions can make your brand feel more authentic and accessible across all your digital touchpoints.

What about something like email marketing? It often gets left out of the party, which is a missed opportunity because it can be incredibly powerful when integrated strategically. Almost everyone uses email, and it allows for a level of personalisation that's tough to beat across other platforms. A study by the Journal of Marketing found that combining email with social media marketing led to a significant increase in both consumer spending and cross-selling opportunities.

To ensure email isn't just an afterthought in your comms plan, think of it as part of the conversation, not just a way to blast out promotions. Imagine someone attends your event, sees social media posts about it, and then boom, they receive a personalised email that speaks directly to their interests and experience. That's how you create a cohesive and engaging brand journey, meeting your audience at every touchpoint with a message that resonates in the moment.

And how do you keep track of it all?

Juggling all of these factors can feel like conducting an orchestra with a hundred different instruments. And that's why having a clear comms plan is so essential. It's not just about checking boxes and making sure you're on every channel. It's about knowing your audience inside and out, their habits, their preferences, the platforms they trust, and then crafting a strategy that feels personalised and intentional at every moment.

So how do we do that? What's the secret sauce? Honestly, there's no one-size-fits-all recipe. It starts with identifying your core message. What do you want people to remember about your brand? From there, it's about selecting the right channels to reach your target audience, and then figuring out how each of those channels can work together to reinforce that core message. It's about telling a story, but instead of chapters, you have these different platforms, each playing a specific role in the narrative.

And remember, it's an ongoing story. The beauty of comms planning is that it's dynamic. You can and should constantly be measuring, analysing, and tweaking your approach based on what the data tells you. So it's not just a set-it-and-forget-it kind of thing. You need to be paying attention, ready to adapt as the winds of change shift. What worked last year might not work today, so flexibility and a willingness to experiment are vital for success.