5 Tips for Planning Your Next Marketing Campaign

Most marketing campaigns aim to “work.” Few aim to be unforgettable.

And that’s the problem.

We’ve become obsessed with metrics and efficiency—reach, clicks, ROI—without asking the most important question:

Does this campaign make anyone feel anything?

In the words of Rory Sutherland, the legendary marketing mind, “Real breakthroughs happen when we stop trying to make things rational and start making them remarkable.”

Here’s the thing: great marketing follows human behaviour. It taps into emotion, surprise, and shared experiences. It’s meaningful, memorable, and yes, sometimes a little unexpected.

So how do you plan a campaign that gets results and makes people care? Let’s break it down.

1. Start With a Mission

Most campaigns start with what you’re selling: the product, the service, the promotion. But the campaigns that stand out start with something bigger—the mission.

Think about Patagonia. They sell environmental activism you can wear.

Your mission is the “why” behind what you do. Ask yourself:

• What are we really trying to say?

• What’s the bigger picture people can connect with?

A campaign that feels like a cause—no matter how small—will stick in people’s minds long after the ad stops running.

✨ Try this: Before you plan the “what,” write down your “why.” If you can’t explain the bigger mission behind your campaign in one sentence, start there.

2. Think Remarkably

Relatability is great, but remarkability makes you stand out.

“Remarkable” doesn’t mean over-the-top—it means unexpected. It means creating a campaign that makes people pause and say, “Wait… that’s interesting.”

Consider how a coffee brand might focus on their beans and sustainability (everyone does that) or instead tell 52 stories about the farmers behind them—one each week for a year.

✨ Try this: Ask, “What would make someone share this with a friend?” If you’re not sure, add a layer of surprise, creativity, or storytelling that breaks expectations.

3. Create an Experience

Campaigns that really connect create an experience beyond a headline.

Let’s say you’re opening a new route for a regional bus line (exciting, I know). Instead of just a digital ad, you turn it into an event:

• Partner with a boutique hotel along the route.

• Host a launch celebration with local artists, food, and live music.

• Offer discounted shuttles to get people there.

Now, you’re creating a moment people want to be part of.

✨ Try this: Ask, “What can people experience because of this campaign?” Create something they can see, feel, or talk about beyond their screen.

4. Talk to Humans

There’s nothing wrong with optimizing your content for reach, clicks, or SEO. But the moment you forget that your audience is made up of humans, you lose the plot.

Humans don’t care about jargon or buzzwords. They care about things that feel real, personal, and emotional.

For example, don’t say, “We help brands achieve their goals through innovative strategies.” Say, “We help brands create campaigns people can’t stop talking about.”

✨ Try this: Read your campaign out loud. If it sounds like a robot wrote it, rewrite it. Make it sound like a person talking to another person.

5. Build Momentum

The best campaigns build anticipation.

Think about movie trailers. Months before the premiere, they’ve already created hype, speculation, and excitement. Your campaign should do the same.

Start teasing your message early:

• Share behind-the-scenes glimpses of the campaign in the making.

• Drop hints that spark curiosity.

• Involve your audience—ask for their input, opinions, or guesses.

When launch day comes, your audience isn’t just seeing your campaign—they’re waiting for it.

✨ Try this: Treat your campaign like an event. Build suspense, tease what’s coming, and invite your audience to be part of the moment.

Make It Meaningful

Marketing campaigns that stand out do one thing exceptionally well: they make people feel something.

It’s not about chasing trends or obsessing over algorithms. It’s about connecting with your audience in a way that feels real, relevant, and maybe even remarkable.

So the next time you sit down to plan a campaign, don’t ask, “Will this work?” Ask:

“Will this matter?”

Because if it does, people will remember it—and that’s where the magic happens.

Ready to plan your most meaningful campaign yet? Let’s make it remarkable.