Four New Principles of Branding Patterns

Repetition is not king. An element of consistency runs throughout all branding patterns according to Shillum. Every brand reflects artifacts (i.e. logos, names, slogans, colors, icons, products), behaviors, and concepts. Patterns possess the cleverness of consistency instead of the brashness of banging consumers over the head with slogans and logos repeatedly. 

California-based salon chain Drybar’s name is not on every gift card. Yet, lucky recipients know where to go to redeem their rewards. The dangling dryer logo says it all. If consumers need further clarity, saucy copy such as “Money to blow” provides clues that consumers are in for a blowout brand experience. This sense of anticipation cannot be heightened through repetition, because patterns inform consumer behavior.

Marketing is the brand experience. “Customers no longer separate marketing from the product — it is the product,” says a McKinsey study on multi-platform marketing. Brand experiences now start before consumers approach retail platforms. Consumer-brand interactions continue long after conversion, thanks to social commerce and device-agnostic mobile technology. 

Months before its latest product hit stores, and months before the first conversion, Apple woos consumers. Rumors about product features trickle into news broadcasts and water cooler conversations. The product announcement comes, whipping the nation into such fervor that consumers do not mind standing in lines for hours or spreading the gospel of their favorite brand. Apple does not give birth in one silo and do product development in another. Its products are engineered to induce brand evangelism.

Design can create patterns of trust. A logo can become more than a logo. If every time a consumer enters a retail platform, and you greet them with behavior and consistency that affirms their belief in your brand, you are pushing more than robotic repetition. You are designing branding patterns of trust. 

In some cases, branding patterns can make the difference in spotting a bad Apple: It looks like Apple. Talks like Apple. The appearance of the “Apple Store” sign gives away the knockoff retailer in China. The sleuth behind the discovery is not a cop or a trade official. An Apple fan, familiar with branding patterns, can spot the phony retailer. Every brand has the power to be this identifiable to its consumers. 

Data drives consumer engagement. Not only is social commerce adding instant connections to the consumer-brand experience — a wealth of consumer data is also entering the mix. But this data is useless if it is paired with push marketing techniques. Consumers demand a stake in campaigns. For many companies, this requires a recalibration to reflect and respond to consumers’ needs across multiple platforms. 

Consumers will voice their expectations for your brand. If you are like Facebook, you will respond — tweaking privacy settings, responding to new competitors by adding features. What becomes of the company without a system for consumer engagement? Ignoring consumer feedback never ends in positive brand experiences.