How to use the DRIP model?

Planning your communications strategy with the DRIP Model

What is DRIP?

The DRIP model is used to support marketing communication planning and is useful when setting broad communication goals. It can be applied when launching a new product or repositioning an existing business, for example.

DRIP stands for Differentiate, Reinforce, Inform and Persuade and can be an alternative to the AIDA model. It was created by Chris Fill and will be familiar to readers of his classic Marketing Communications text.

How to use it?

These are the aims within each of the DRIP elements, it’s a working 'communications flow’ model.

• Differentiate:  Differentiate your product or service by defining where it's positioned in the market and often the 7Ps digital marketing mix can inform this.
• Reinforce: To reinforce the brand's message, consider consolidating and strengthening your messages and experiences, demonstrating why your product is different - superior, cheaper or easier to use?
• Inform: Inform or make people aware of your brand. Consider illustrating you’re features and availability. If it's a 'new to market' product, it may need education!.
• Persuade: Persuade your audiences to behave in a particular way - encourage further positive purchase-related behaviour i.e. visit a website, read about your new product, share it or request a trial.

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Examples of how the drip model can be applied to marketing campaign plans?

Here is an example of how Nokia could apply DRIP in promote of a new Lumia Smartphone.

• Differentiate: Lumia was differentiated from other smartphones with a zoomable Carl Zeiss camera lens, with a 8.7 mega pixels auto focus and digital zoom The objective was to secure 15% of market by November 2013.
• Reinforce: To reinforce the brand message, Nokia partnered with Carl Zeiss for its camera lens. They explained about the camera's features and promised  'blur-free photos every time', reinforced by Pureview technology and the branded lens.
• Inform: To inform people about the brand, Nokia encouraged social conversations by giving away phones on two week trials. Those who blogged or tweeted about it were invited to take up the trial.
• Persuade: The challenge was persuasion and for consumers to switch phones. They started a Twitter campaign to engage and demonstrate the number of those switching. Set up a handle @Nokia_Connects and hashtag #SwitchToLumia. The theme was 'life in colour' with a twitter image from the colour run, but it's weird as the girl is wearing a mask and can't speak!

What to watch for?

DRIP is a strategic model and a more tactical approach may be needed.

Original Sources

Fill, C. (2002). Marketing Communications. Third edition. Harlow. Pearson Education.