marimekko: communication theory

Marimekko is a Finnish design house founded in 1951, known for its bold prints, vibrant colors, and timeless textile designs. The brand originally emerged in post-war Finland as a reaction against minimalism and muted aesthetics, offering instead a visual language built on optimism, individuality, and expressive patterns.

Today, Marimekko operates globally across fashion, home textiles, accessories, and interior design. Its visual identity is strongly associated with iconic floral and geometric prints, most famously the Unikko (poppy) pattern, designed by Maija Isola in 1964.

Marimekko describes its philosophy as centered on “bringing joy to everyday life through bold prints and colors” (Marimekko official brand statement).

Marimekko’s positioning can be defined as: "A premium lifestyle design brand that combines art, functionality, and expressive print culture".

Unlike trend-driven fashion brands, Marimekko focuses on timelessness. Its design system is built on strong visual identity rather than seasonal reinvention.

Marimekko’s target audience is global and relatively niche, defined less by age and more by values and aesthetic preferences.

Primary audience:

• Creative professionals (designers, architects, artists)
• Urban consumers with interest in Scandinavian design
• Consumers aged approximately 25–55
• People who value individuality, creativity, and visual expression

Psychographic profile:

• Appreciates bold but thoughtful aesthetics
• Prefers long-lasting, high-quality products over fast fashion
• Interested in design heritage and storytelling
• Values sustainability and responsible consumption

Secondary audience:

• International design enthusiasts attracted by Nordic culture
• Collectors of iconic prints and design objects
• Lifestyle consumers buying home decor and accessories

Marimekko uses an integrated marketing communications strategy. This means that the brand presents one clear identity through different channels, including its website, online journal, application, physical stores and social media. Its official platforms include Instagram*, TikTok, Facebook*, Pinterest, LinkedIn and YouTube.

The website gives detailed information about products, design history, sustainability and collaborations. This system can also be explained through the PESO model: Marimekko uses owned media, such as its website and application; shared media, such as social networks; and earned media, such as articles published by independent magazines.

*Recognized as extremist organizations and banned on the territory of the Russian Federation.

One of Marimekko’s main PR strategies is corporate heritage branding. This strategy uses the history of a company as an active part of its modern identity.

Historical patterns, designers and stories are regularly presented in new collections, exhibitions and digital content. Unikko is the clearest example. The pattern was created by Maija Isola in 1964, but it is still used as one of the main symbols of Marimekko. Anniversary campaigns and historical articles give the pattern cultural value and make the brand appear authentic and stable. At the same time, new colours and products keep it visually modern.

Marimekko also uses country-of-origin positioning, which means that the identity of the brand is connected with the image of its home country. The company regularly presents itself as a Finnish design house, and its communication connects Marimekko with bold prints, practical design and everyday creativity.

The store at Helsinki Airport is an important example because it introduces the brand to international visitors at one of the main entrances to Finland. Finavia describes Marimekko through “Finnish design classics”, iconic patterns and a Finnish success story. The store also works as experiential retail PR because travellers can directly enter the brand’s visual world. In this case, Marimekko becomes not only a fashion company but also a visible symbol of Finnish design and national culture.

One of Marimekko’s most active modern PR strategies is co-branding. Co-branding happens when two independent brands create a shared collection and combine their visual identities, audiences and reputations. Marimekko has collaborated with companies from fashion, footwear, technology, furniture and home design. These include UNIQLO, Crocs, adidas, Samsung, IKEA, Artek, CASETiFY and other brands. Because collaborations appear regularly and across many product categories, they should be understood as a long-term strategic brand alliance programme rather than separate advertising events.

Collaborations also support earned media, which is publicity created by independent newspapers, magazines and online publications rather than directly controlled by the brand. This type of coverage gives the collaboration additional visibility and can appear more independent than normal advertising. It also supports brand rejuvenation, a strategy that keeps an established brand interesting for younger and international audiences without removing its historical identity. Modern collaborations, limited editions and media coverage help the company remain culturally relevant, enter new markets and introduce its design language to people who may not know the brand yet.

To study Marimekko’s communication, we use two theories that focus on different parts of the relationship between the brand and its audience.

The Elaboration Likelihood Model helps us understand how the brand persuades people through visual impressions and detailed information. Dialogic Communication Theory helps us analyse how Marimekko communicates with users through its website, membership programme, application and social media.

These theories work well together because Marimekko’s communication has both an emotional and a practical side. The brand uses colours, patterns and positive images to attract attention, but it also provides product information, care advice and different ways to take part in its community. The theories allow us to study not only what Marimekko communicates, but also how users may understand these messages and what kind of relationship the brand creates with them.

The Elaboration Likelihood Model describes two routes of persuasion: the central route and the peripheral route.

The central route is based on careful thinking. It becomes important when a person is strongly interested in a product and wants to study its material, quality, function, price or production. The peripheral route is based on faster visual and emotional reactions. In this case, people respond to colour, familiar symbols, positive mood, brand reputation or a feeling of belonging to a group. The choice of route depends on the user’s motivation and ability to process information. A person may first notice a Marimekko pattern while scrolling through social media and later study the product more carefully on the website. This means that both routes can work together: visual communication attracts attention, while facts and explanations help support the final decision.

Dialogic Communication Theory focuses on whether a brand only sends messages or creates a real two-way relationship with its audience. Social media and websites may look interactive because users can click, comment, share or join programmes, but these functions do not always create real dialogue. Important ideas in this theory include the dialogic loop, usefulness of information, return visits, ease of interface and conservation of visitors. The dialogic loop means that users can ask questions and receive meaningful answers. Usefulness of information means that the brand provides content that helps its audience. Return visits and conservation of visitors describe how the brand encourages people to return and stay inside its digital environment.

The theory also helps us separate participation from reciprocity. Users may take part in brand activities, but this does not always mean that they can influence the communication.

The previous screenshot shows how Marimekko combines a powerful visual image with information about its design history. The large pink and red Unikko flowers immediately attract attention because of their bright colours, simple shapes and large scale. These elements work through the peripheral route because users can recognise the pattern and feel its positive mood without reading the text.

At the same time, the page presents Unikko as part of Marimekko’s history and connects it with designer Maija Isola. The text about the visible brush strokes makes the pattern feel more personal and artistic. This information supports the central route because it gives the image an author, a story and cultural value and shows that Marimekko does not present Unikko only as decoration. The pattern becomes a symbol of creativity, confidence and Finnish design, which makes it more valuable for the audience.