
In my early 20s, I spent a lot of my time in bed with an Italian poet. He had an aquiline nose*, rather medieval views and caused my arms to ache because I held him too long.
Alas, this is not the tale of a passionate love affair but of a student, with a temperamental boiler, a deadline and several versions of Dante’s Divine Comedy.
While the characters, Christian lore and hierarchy of 14th century Florentine society played a huge role in my literature modules, I didn’t expect to encounter the volume of references to La Comedia in modern daily life. Of course, Shakespeare has played an architectural role in shaping the English language and what is considered high-brow British culture, so you’d expect the Bard to crop up fairly regularly but Dante, less so. However, in the 2000s and early 2010s, I came across countless books, films, articles and even cartoons that paid homage to Inferno, Paradise or the poet’s unrequited love with Beatrice. If I endured my husband’s death metal music, I’m sure I’d hear even more references.
In part, I attribute this to the rise of Dan Brown and other authors looking to emulate his success by exploring stories relating to the Catholic church. Yet I also think it was a case of the frequency illusion or the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon i.e. when a person notices a specific concept, word, or product more frequently after recently becoming aware of it.
Repetition
In marketing, this level of awareness can lead to changes in consumer behaviour, which can be more, or less favourable for a brand. Marketing professionals often quote the rule of 7, saying it takes approximately seven touchpoints with a message or brand name to create a lasting impression. PR has always focused on building positive reputational awareness across multiple touchpoints and can serve as a catalyst for enduring messages. PR gives brands a way to deliver the same message within different, interesting stories, across various channels, engaging different audiences or the same people time and time again.
Popularity
Repeated exposure increases recognition and recall. Brand awareness is borne of consistency across all communications and enough time to build familiarity, but true success is achieved by entering culture. So, how do you do it?
Infiltrate everyday language with catchy slogans, for example, “once you pop you can’t stop” or by coining terms for previously unnamed concepts such as hoovering, googling, mini-moon and staycation.
Spark curiosity and discussion by asking questions or encouraging people to think differently. Campaigns such as Cadbury Crème Egg’s “How do you eat yours?” or Always’ “Like a girl”, embedded key messages into consumer conversations. “Think different” was the tactic Apple used in 1997 when it wanted to appeal with creatives and compete with market leading computer brands.
Some brands have inserted themselves so deeply within cultural events that they have become synonymous with certain activities and created expectations of what the brand signifies. Party Rings were the stalwart of children’s parties in the ‘90s; a role I suspect Colin the Caterpillar has taken on for adults celebrating birthdays in the workplace now. However, while I have only experienced one ambassador’s reception, I can report that I was sorely disappointed to see a lack of Ferrero Rocher.
Iconography can prove even more powerful than words for engagement and brand recall. For example, most people in the world will recognise McDonald’s golden arches and Father Christmas is now permanently represented wearing Coca Cola’s red and white. More recently the Barbie movie inspired editors and other brands to create coverage using the doll’s iconic pink colour to engage audiences, creating even more buzz around the film.
Dante has managed to tick most of these boxes. The enduring power of his work serves as a reminder that consistent messaging and captivating storytelling continues to resonate with audiences and has stood the test of time. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here is frequently quoted in pop culture - I even heard Kim and Aggie utter the phrase on an episode of How Clean is Your House – and political figures are often condemned to the 9th circle of hell in public discourse.
His story of eternal damnation and glory has had centuries to penetrate our culture yet continues to remain relevant - a legacy that all marketers might go to hell and back for.
*It is believed that Dante Alighieri didn’t actually have the infamous hooked nose he is depicted with in Renaissance art, but this is the image that was in my translated version (C.H. Sisson translation for Oxford World Classics)
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