We notice things when patterns are broken, unexpected and odd.
Marketing is filled with the chance to do something daring, unconventional and outside of what everyone else does. Most brands are too scared, too lazy or too unimaginative to try. They want to join with the other brands and blend in instead of standing out.
The Broken Pattern
The question marketers should be asking isn’t what could we do to get noticed that is different? The question is, what can we do that is on strategy and breaks the expected pattern of communications.
When was the last time you disrupted your category by knowing the conventional pattern and shredding it into little bits?
- Silence when you expect sound.
- Black and white when you expect color.
- A scent when you don’t expect aroma.
- Shapes when they break the pattern of the category.
- Soft and quiet when you anticipate noise.
- Games when you expect seriousness.
- Textures when you expect flatness.
- Light when you expect darkness.
- Words when you expect paragraphs.
- Brochures that look like napkins.
- Websites that feel different because they aren’t burdened by so much copy.
The next time you want to send an email to get someone’s attention, first ask yourself, can you find a happy way to surprise them and change the pattern of expectation.
If you want to be noticed and breakthrough, first learn the patterns of your category. Then break them.
I’m good at disrupting patterns. Need marketing help getting noticed in a crowded marketplace? Let’s talk. Click my calendar to schedule a time to talk so I can understand what problem you are trying to solve. Or call me at 919 720 0995 or email me at jeffslater@themarketingsage.com
Photo by Rakicevic Nenad on Unsplash
Here is a great book on this subject of breaking patterns called Unconscious Branding by Douglas Van Praet. You can read my review of his book. Doug worked on that great VW commercial with the little boy as Darth Vader and his dad controlling the car.
