Every communication campaign starts with a good idea. If all goes well, at least. No campaign without a concept. But the temptation is great to start developing various expressions as soon as the first brainstorming session is over. Tempting, but not smart. Because thoroughly thinking through an idea is super important. You want your message to truly come across and genuinely impact your audience. So, you need to think very carefully about that message. A quick brainstorming session just isn't enough for that. You want to consider the consequences of your idea in detail: does this concept work in all formats and across all media? And does the primary message or proposition hold up?

Discover the purest core of your story

To arrive at your very best idea, you need to ask yourself critical questions. Why do you want to tell this? Why would you do that? Why do people need to know this? Who benefits from it? Are people really waiting for your product or service? Such questions can sometimes be difficult for marketers to answer. The common thought is: ‘I have a great product and everyone should know about it and have it’. If it’s that great, you don't need a campaign, right? Truly good products sell themselves. But sometimes, you need some sales assistance. This help starts with a story. An honest, clear, understandable story. For that, you need to come to the most honest answer to those uncomfortable questions, to uncover the truth, the purest core of the story you want to tell. And I emphasize it once more: Honest. Because nice talks don't work, your target audience will always see through that.

Tuning resources, repeating propositions

Once you have your most honest story, it's time to draw attention to what you want to say. You can then determine the form and the resources. It is important that all communication aligns well with each other, because only then can you repeat your proposition effectively. If you want your resources to say the same thing, you need to align them well. Communication advisors often cringe at this, but I like to use the word 'propaganda'. I believe that your message should be as simple, clear, and unambiguous as possible in all forms. No one is waiting for your message, so you might as well say clearly what you have to offer. And preferably in a nice way, whether it’s about new soup, a different name, or a new way of working.

The same story in a different way

Suppose your company undergoes a name change because it is taken over by a French company. The goal is for all employees to embrace the new name of the parent company. You can come up with all sorts of ideas to achieve this: having a French woman run through the office building with a camera and microphone, enjoying cheese and wine together, offering a French course, etc. But the point is to carry out all those activities from the same foundational idea; from a concept. In this case, that would be: Discover your French side. If you keep that foundational idea as your starting point, everything adds up. Then you tell the same story, each time in a slightly different way.

So (the power of repetition)

A good idea isn’t invented in a flash. Take your time and aim for the most pure core of your story. Determine the form in which you tell the story and align the resources well with each other. This way, you can repeat your proposition, each time in a different, creative way. You can always fall back on that foundational story. The same rationale, the same leading thought. Êtes-vous prêt? Then come by and discover our French side :)