There is a growing consensus in marketing that viewing brand and performance marketing as separate silos limits growth. WARC’s recent study on the relationship between brand and performance has prompted a much-needed reassessment.
The conversation has shifted – rightly – back to the fundamentals of marketing. From quick wins to long-term value, from isolated metrics to integrated strategy. However, for many brands and businesses that’ve grown up in digital marketing, making the leap from performance to brand can feel like a risk: big costs, slow returns, and high expectations.
We’ve observed that ambitious brands know that they need to differentiate their brand and give potential customers a reason to choose them over their competitors, but they’re not sure how to do it. Betting everything on a TV ad or an expensive rebrand comes with a risk.
That’s where Red Thread thinking comes in. Red Thread is how marketers make brand-building more accessible to brands who haven’t navigated this yet, without losing focus on short-term effectiveness, whilst tying directly into performance activation; so brand and performance aren’t fighting for attention, they’re reinforcing each other and fuelling the ongoing success of the business.
What’s the Red Thread Framework?
The Red Thread Framework is a unifying idea that weaves through all brand touchpoints (such as the advertising creative, the strategy behind the Paid Media tactics or the messaging on the website), ensuring that every piece of marketing feels aligned and intentional. When done well, it creates a consistent brand presence that resonates more deeply with audiences and drives stronger, longer-lasting impact. For example, telling a story consistently across multiple touchpoints has been shown to increase ROI by up to 65% and brand impact by up to 234%.
Unlike a traditional campaign idea, a Red Thread is not short-lived or surface-level. It’s rooted in:
- Brand’s unique value
- What sets your product or experience apart from the competition? Often also described as the USP, this is the distinctive element we believe our audience will most care about.
- Audience motivators
- The emotional or practical drivers that influence why your audience might want or need your product.
- White Space
- The part of the category you aim to own. It’s the overlap between what your audience cares about, what you’re best at, and what competitors aren’t saying (or aren’t saying well).
Red Thread is a deeper, more strategic tool that brings creative and marketing into sharp alignment. Once identified, this Red Thread becomes the foundation for all activity, keeping campaigns connected over time, while still leaving room for evolution and creative flexibility.
Case Study: Norse Atlantic Airways ✈️
While each brand’s ‘Red Thread’ is unique, a strong example of this approach in action can be seen in our work with Norse Atlantic Airways.
During our strategy deep dive, we uncovered a powerful insight: Their adventure-seeking audience was consistently surprised by the comfort and quality they received at a price which satisfied both their adventurous spirit and price-consciousness. This was our key audience motivator, but also our USP. While competitors also offered low fares, none matched Norse’s in-flight experience. That sense of “unexpected delight” became their Red Thread.
Creatively, we brought the idea to life with a playful Viking character that embodied the brand’s adventurous, value-packed spirit. He popped up in surprising ways, like relaxing in destination imagery or partaking in local experiences, adding a lighthearted, human touch that reinforced the brand without being overt.
However, this concept wouldn’t have been as impactful if we hadn’t applied it to our media strategy. Instead of sticking to predictable airport placements, we explored more unexpected, adventure-aligned activations. From local programmatic ads at hidden gems like exceptional restaurants and thrill spots, to curated experiences that echoed Norse’s bold personality, we ensured the brand showed up in ways that matched the spirit of their customers.
Even if someone didn’t know the “Red Thread” behind the work, they would feel it. Every interaction with the brand told the same story, creatively and contextually.
What makes the Red Thread approach different?
While the Red Thread isn’t a new concept in the industry, at Impression, we apply it in a way that’s both strategic and actionable. We combine the creative & messaging implications to fully integrate it into media planning and performance delivery.
The crux to making Red Thread work is ensuring that the how, where, and when a brand shows up is all aligned. That means all performance channels work together with the creative idea, not in parallel to it. Allowing audiences to encounter a consistent & coherent brand experience at every stage of the journey. Right message, right moment, right place.
This approach leads to:
- Media plans that waste less budget
- Clearer briefs and priorities for performance teams to act on
- Fewer off-brand campaigns that confuse customers
- A brand that’s recognisably distinct and memorable in crowded, competitive markets
Why Red Thread works for brands at any stage
Red Thread scales with the brand. It is a powerful tool for brands across all stages of their maturity. As with the Norse example, their Red Thread gave them a springboard not just for one campaign, but for a scalable system of creative and media decisions that still feels bold, distinct, and true to their brand. This approach keeps teams focused, flexible, and future-ready.
Even for slower rollouts or tight budgets, it helps us pinpoint the most strategic activations, ensuring that every channel is working smarter, not just harder. Overcoming the performance plateau and building a brand which sticks doesn’t need to feel risky. By developing a Red Thread as a clear, strategic set of planning principles, brands can make their media more meaningful, their messaging more memorable, and their marketing more effective.
