Repetition of quirky messaging kills what made it great in
the first place. Brands need to keep it fresh.
“Please do not flush nappies,
sanitary towels, old mobile phones, unpaid bills, your ex’s jumper, hopes,
dreams or goldfish down the toilet.”
If you’ve travelled on a
Virgin train in the past 18 months or so, you’ll recognise the above statement
straight away. Virgin’s ‘talking toilets’ and accompanying signs were a huge
hit – and rightfully so. By taking a calculated tonal and messaging risk, the
brand surprised and delighted its customers – in a train toilet, no less.
I’ve heard that one before
But what happens if you’re a
regular on the 0924 up to Manchester? When the initial surprise wears off, are
you still delighted? Well, what do you think!? With repetition, corporate quirk
soon slides from charming to tiresome; from share-worthy to irritating.
