Wikipedia says it in plain English – Brand awareness is the extent to which the consumer associates the brand with the product that they wish to purchase. It is the brand recall and the brand recognition of the company to the consumers. Brand recall is the ability of the consumer to recollect the brand with reference to the product whereas brand recognition is the potential of the consumer to retrieve the past knowledge of the brand when enquired about the brand or shown an image of the brand logo. Brand awareness is an essential part of brand development which helps the brand to stand out from the others in this monopolistically competitive market.
A brand name that is well known to the great majority of households is also called a household name.
Extensive research has been done in the brand awareness area. I suggest these seven simple ways are easy to apply to any bi or small business. Be assured that these will surely increase your brand awareness.
- Involve a slogan or jingle: a slogan is a visible feature of a brand. There can be a strong link between a slogan and a brand. The slogan and jingle are powerful and can be a great change for a brand.
- Be different and memorable: as a result of the similarity between product and their means of communication, product differentiation is important.
- Symbol exposure: a known symbol will make it easier to recall and memorize a visible illustration of the brand. A logo that is connected to an existing brand or a developed brand will play a vital role in developing and keeping brand awareness.
- Publicity: one of the most important ways to get publicity and create awareness is through advertisement.
- Event sponsorship: sponsorship of event can also help to create and maintain awareness.
- Consider brand extension: one way to increase brand recall is to show the logo or name on the product and make the name popular. Example of this is coca-cola which is more publicized than the key product.
- Using cue: packaging is one of the most significant cues to a brand due to the fact that it is what the purchaser sees when purchasing a product. If the product or brand is not known, the only means of contact to the brand or product is the package.
Chintan is the Founder and Editor of Loyalty & Customers.
