Same-same is fine. But same-different is better.

Let me start by saying… these are just my observations (isn’t that still what blogs are for? Sharing personal takes and opinions?).

There are plenty of fantastic campaigns out there that really get it right.

But…

In my opinion, we’re still seeing way too many so-called ‘integrated’ marketing campaigns falling into the trap of “channel-copy-paste” syndrome.

What do I mean by that?

One brilliant creative idea…resized and slapped across every channel it appears on.

TV ad? Check.
VOD? Just trim it down to 15 seconds, please.
Billboard? A static shot from the video with a big headline will do.
Instagram Story? Same thing but vertical?
TikTok? Same as Insta.

This whole ‘one-size-fits-all’ thing might seem efficient on paper, but honestly? It’s a total brand buzzkill.

Let’s be honest: Anyone working in marketing or advertising knows today’s audiences consume content differently depending on where they are, what they’re doing, and how they feel at that moment.

If a campaign isn’t flexing to meet that – adapting to the context and the channel – it’s way too easy for people to just scroll right past.

Same message. Different medium.

First things first… let me be crystal clear: you don’t need a different idea for every channel. No way.

What you do need? Different executions.

Great campaigns stick to one strong creative platform but switch up how that idea shows itself depending on the space it’s playing in.

Brace yourself for a terrible analogy…

I like to think of it like dressing for the occasion. I’m always me. Same Mark, same personality, whether I’m out hiking with my dogs, on a Teams call with a client, at the gym, or even at a wedding. But do I wear the same outfit to all of those? Nope. Can you imagine?

Told you it was terrible, but hopefully you see where I’m coming from. We should always dress our ideas for the occasion.

Here’s a great example of a brand doing just that. I love how Molton Brown have approached video differently – dressing the idea for different occasions (channels).

Channel planning shouldn’t be an afterthought. It’s a strategic starting point.

The best brand strategists and comms planners I know speak the language of activation. Always asking, “How does this show up in the real world?”

Before creative begins, Strategy/Media teams should be interrogating the client brief to understand:

• Where will (or should) this campaign live?
• What is the consumer doing in that moment?
• What is their typical behaviour here (on this channel)?
• How long are we likely to have their attention?
• What is their mindset or emotion we could tap into?

When we have this understanding (some might say insight) early, we can feed it into the creative brief to inspire channel-first creative thinking. Suddenly, creative teams aren’t just resizing artwork, they’re inspired to develop smart, fit-for-format executions that feel made for the moment.

Our own work for d&b audiotechnik did just this. And here are a few other brands who I think have nailed the true meaning of campaign integration.

Quaker Oats

Their new “Deliciously ugly” platform demonstrates a masterclass in channel-first strategic/creative adaptation 

In OOH, it’s bold, provocative, and culturally relevant:

On social/YouTube, it’s short, sharp, with a killer backing track (and added UGC):

And in real life, this campaign has one of the craziest activations I think I’ve ever seen.

The Porridge Dress at Paris Fashion Week:

Bonds Underwear

Their “Made for down under” campaign flexes brilliantly across multiple mediums and channels. Same creative platform, fit for purpose. Made for down under everywhere.

On TV, it’s intriguing, funny, and fantastically Aussie:

In OOH, it’s bold and stroll-stopping:

On TikTok, it’s behind-the-scenes, cheeky, and exciting: 

British Airways

“A British original” campaign effortlessly shows how one idea can work so well, and differently, across multiple channels.

In OOH, it’s simple, intriguing and relatable (taking only seconds to understand, read and smile as you fleetingly spot it):

The same can be said for print:

On TV, it’s emotive and moving:

And it’s revisited again and again, with refreshed seasonal creative:

Same creative platform, flawlessly executed everywhere. A British Original masterpiece.

If you’ve stuck with me this far, thank you. Here are the 3 key takeaways:

1. Steer clear of “channel-copy-paste” syndrome in your next campaign. Keep the core idea strong, but make sure your creative executions flex to fit each channel where they’ll live.
2. When reviewing creative, think like a native. Each ad should feel like it belongs in that space—not an outsider crashing the feed. Bring audience insights and channel behaviors into those discussions.
3. Test, learn, optimize, and revisit. Track what’s working and resonating across all channels. And keep an eye on how it’s impacting your key metrics, both short and long term.

So, if you’ve got a new campaign brief you’d like support with, I’m all ears. Drop me an email at mark.brighton@saintnicks.uk.com – and we can dress for the occasion together.