Achieving increased consistency in organizational communications requires an active planning and coordination effort, as opposed to the passive approach wherein each unit or individual attempts to communicate independently. An audience subjected to seemingly contradictory messages from an institution cannot know what to believe or be expected to form an accurate understanding of the institution. This is not to suggest that all communications should take the same form or even contain the same information. But all of an institution's communications should be compatible and complementary. Communication is most effective when the intended audience receives the message several times.
Repetition is a central precept of advertising for that reason.
A television ad that has been viewed dozens of times has long since ceased to provide new information, but it may continue to be effective in producing sales because it reinforces and strenghtens earlier messages. Once an audience has received and understood a message, an appropriate slogan can provide quick and cogent reinforcement when a more complete repetition of the message is not feasible. One way that can be accomplished is by employing a mix of different media to channel messages. While consistency and repetition in messages is desirable, so is variation in the media that carry those messages. Cooperation and the communication process Cooperation among the units with communication responsibilities obviously is beneficial if the University is to communicate to greatest effect.