The best marketers have always known that continuity matters. But how much does it really matter?
A large-scale analysis presented at Cannes Lions suggests the answer is: more than most people think.
The best strategists, creatives and marketers have always known that continuity is central to building strong brands.
For Cannes Lions, an analysis of more than 150 brands over a five-year period was conducted. The study draws on IPA’s Effectiveness Databank as well as System1’s measurements. The results have been presented as a kind of “handbook of continuity for marketers”.
Andrew Tindall (System1), Les Binet and Sarah Carter (both from adam&eveDDB) have all contributed to this work, and spoke at Cannes Lions about the power of compound creativity.
Andrew Tindall opened with a film asking questions such as: Why has Apple maintained the same positioning and minimalist design for more than 50 years? Why have Coca-Cola and M&M’s kept running the same Christmas ads for decades? Why do we never tire of them?
Other examples included Nike, which has urged us to “Just do it” for 35 years, and PG Tips, with its long-running investment in brand characters. He also pointed to Amazon’s global teams, tasked with ensuring absolute consistency across markets – and wondered why Guinness has never replaced AMV BBDO.
So yes, this is about continuity. And he outlined three ways in which brands can work consistently.
1. Creative foundations
Here, the focus is on developing the core creative idea as far as possible.
Brands built on strong creative foundations achieve greater mental availability, which in turn drives significant brand effects – awareness, differentiation, brand image, perceived quality and trust.
It also delivers strong business results.
“The key is mental availability,” Tindall emphasised. “It is much easier to refresh a memory than to create a new one.”
He also pointed to a clear relationship between agency tenure and effectiveness. The longer a brand works with the same agency over time, the better the results – both for the brand and for profitability.
Interestingly, the opposite appeared to be true for CMOs. The longer a CMO stays with a brand, the weaker the results tend to be – something Tindall could not fully explain.
2. Continuity as a culture
This involves embedding the creative expression over time. It doesn’t wear out – but it often needs to be worn in.
It also means consistency across channels, commitment to the core idea, and the reuse of creative assets and distinctive brand cues.
“We found that brands with a strong culture of consistency deliver higher brand and business effects in the IPA databank,” said Tindall. “Advertising doesn’t work as well in isolation. When it runs across more platforms, over longer periods, and is entertaining, it is more likely to be seen and remembered.”
In fact, brands with high consistency are six times more likely to achieve exceptional profit growth.
3. Consistent creative execution
This includes consistent use of:
- distinctive brand assets and characters
- long-term use of celebrities
- a recognisable audio identity
- a consistent tone of voice
The most consistent brands score significantly higher on emotional response, while inconsistent brands underperform in System1’s star ratings.
“This is why we call it compound creativity,” said Tindall. “The gap between you and inconsistent competitors grows over time. Consistency compounds creativity.”
But continuity is not enough
“Continuity is a powerful force. But it’s not enough. You also need engagement,” said Les Binet, referring to earlier work by Peter Field and James Hurman.
They identified several drivers of long-term effectiveness:
- Duration – the longer a campaign runs, the greater the effect
- Media breadth – the more channels used consistently, the stronger the results
- Investment – higher budgets drive greater sales
When combined, these factors reinforce each other.
Base sales increase year after year. Performance marketing becomes more effective. Short-term peaks grow higher.
But one effect is often overlooked: pricing power.
Brands with strong creative engagement find it easier to raise prices. Customers become less price-sensitive.
“For many brands, this is where the real long-term profit lies,” Binet pointed out.
From low price to premium
Binet illustrated this with the British cat food brand Felix.
In the 1980s, Felix was a small brand on the verge of disappearing. A final campaign was launched – first in print, then on TV, and eventually rolled out globally. It ran consistently for more than 20 years.
The results were remarkable. Sales and market share increased fivefold, and price sensitivity was cut in half. The brand moved from low price to premium.
A more recent example is McCain frozen chips. After years of decline driven by short-term promotions, the brand launched “The Real Tea-Time Campaign”, reflecting everyday British family life.
It has now run for more than a decade.
Sales recovered quickly. But the most important effect was reduced price sensitivity – which proved crucial during the inflationary period after the pandemic. While many brands struggled to raise prices, McCain succeeded.
The result: increased volumes and an incremental profit of £85 million, largely driven by pricing.
So what about creativity?
“What role does creativity play if you’re supposed to stay the same?” asked Sarah Carter.
The answer lies in what musicians call “disguised repetition” – something the human brain enjoys until repetition becomes too obvious.
Many of the greatest creators in other fields have embraced repetition. Monet spent 30 years painting water lilies. Van Gogh returned repeatedly to self-portraits. Composers create variations on themes. The creators of The Simpsons have produced hundreds of episodes over decades.
It takes real creativity to make repetition feel fresh.
Carter pointed to Marmite, which for more than 30 years has used the simple line: “You either love it or hate it.”
Her conclusion was clear: creativity is essential for effective campaigns – but campaigns also play a crucial role in developing creativity over time.
“Repetition builds memory. Humour helps. Repetition also builds credibility. We need more campaigns,” she said – calling on Cannes Lions not only to reward creativity in campaigns, but also the role of campaigns in sustaining creativity over time.
