Picture this: You\u2019re taking a walk in the city and see a checkmark logo or a billboard. Instantly, you know the advertised brand is Nike. Or, you\u2019re out for a drive and see the golden arches off the next exit. You automatically know a McDonald\u2019s is waiting for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This type of brand awareness is the goal of several companies across various industries. After all, brand awareness is the cornerstone of successful marketing strategies. It represents the extent to which consumers recognize and recall a brand, and, ultimately, when you need a new pair of shoes or a quick bite to eat, you turn to these brands to meet your demand.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Not only does brand awareness introduce the public to your goods and services, but they can\u2019t buy what they don\u2019t know about. Research also suggests that recognition leads to trust, significantly impacting consumer behavior. 59% of consumers are more likely to buy new products when they <\/span>trust a brand<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Brand awareness and becoming synonymous with your product or service won\u2019t happen overnight. It occurs through strategic marketing and advertising efforts with interconnected stages that progressively influence consumer perceptions and behaviors.<\/span><\/p>\n This initial stage involves introducing a brand or product to potential customers through various channels such as advertisements, social media, word-of-mouth, or experiential marketing. Whether it’s seeing a TV commercial, a billboard on the highway, scrolling past an ad on social media, or hearing about a brand from a friend, exposure lays the foundation for brand recognition.<\/span><\/p>\n However, the number of times a consumer needs to be exposed to a brand before recognizing it can vary significantly depending on several factors, including the clarity and consistency of the brand’s messaging and visual identity, the relevance to the consumer’s needs or interests, and the effectiveness of the marketing channels used to promote the brand.<\/span><\/p>\n While there is no definitive answer or specific number of exposures universally applicable to all situations, researchers and marketers often refer to the “Rule of Seven” or the “Marketing Rule of Seven.” This rule suggests that consumers typically need to be exposed to a brand message at least seven times before they take action, such as making a purchase or engaging with the brand. However, it’s essential to recognize that this number can vary widely. Some consumers may recognize a brand after fewer exposures, while others may require more exposure before the brand registers in their memory.<\/span><\/p>\n As a result, brands often need to employ a combination of strategies, including <\/span>targeted advertising<\/span><\/a>, content marketing, social media engagement, and consistent branding, to ensure repeated exposure and maximize the likelihood of brand recognition.<\/span><\/p>\n Once exposed to a brand, consumers begin to develop recognition. They can identify the brand’s logo and colors, sing the jingle, and repeat the tagline or catchphrase. This recognition may be conscious or subconscious, but it is a crucial step towards brand awareness. For example, when shopping online, seeing the logo of a familiar brand in the search results may prompt a consumer to click on that link over others.<\/span><\/p>\n As consumers encounter a brand repeatedly and become more familiar with it, they are more likely to consider it when purchasing. Trust also develops when the business invests in advertising, which leads consumers to consider the brand legitimate and trustworthy. Bottom line? Familiarity breeds trust and comfort, leading consumers to choose familiar brands over unfamiliar ones preferentially.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There\u2019s also a phenomenon called the <\/span>halo effect<\/span><\/a>, in which brands can benefit from being associated with another brand or cause the consumer is familiar with. For instance, when faced with a choice between two similar products at the grocery store, a consumer is likelier to choose a product that is talked about on their local news broadcast than one they are completely unfamiliar with.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With continued exposure and recognition, consumers associate the brand with certain qualities, products, or services. These associations can be with the brand’s messaging, reputation, or personal experiences. For example, consumers may associate a brand\u2019s commitment to sustainability with eco-friendly practices. These associations shape consumer perceptions and influence their preferences when considering similar products or services.<\/span><\/p>\n Ultimately, the culmination of brand awareness reflects consumer purchasing behavior. Consumers are more likely to choose brands they know and associate positively with when faced with a buying decision. Brand awareness influences the initial purchase and contributes to repeat purchases and brand loyalty over time. For example, a consumer who regularly buys a particular brand of sneakers may continue to do so because of their familiarity and positive experiences with the brand.<\/span><\/p>\n Building brand awareness is crucial for attracting new customers, establishing credibility, measuring business success, driving brand loyalty, differentiating from competitors, and enhancing brand equity. Businesses prioritizing brand awareness invest in long-term growth and success in the marketplace.<\/span><\/p>\n TV advertising remains an effective medium<\/span><\/a> for reaching and influencing consumers, leveraging its broad reach, multisensory experience, credibility, targeted capabilities, prime-time viewing, brand recall, emotional connection, and integration with digital marketing efforts. That\u2019s because watching TV is one of America\u2019s favorite activities. The <\/span>2023 TVB Media Comparisons Study<\/span><\/a> has a handful of exciting findings, including:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n TV is TV, no matter how you watch it. While streaming TV advertising offers all the benefits of broadcast TV advertising, it also lets brands extend their reach and build brand awareness further to an unduplicated audience at regional, state-wide, and national audiences. Adding streaming TV into your <\/span>media plan<\/span><\/a> also offers:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When building brand awareness, it may seem that you need to be everywhere, all the time. And that\u2019s partially true. Depending on what your customer data and target audience research shows you, the best way to create brand awareness is most likely with a <\/span>cross-channel media strategy<\/span><\/a> that combines broadcast and streaming TV with digital elements that include:<\/span><\/p>\n Attribution is crucial in building brand awareness because it helps marketers understand the effectiveness of their marketing efforts and the impact of different touchpoints on brand visibility and recognition.<\/span><\/p>\n Setting up marketing attribution for brand awareness involves several steps to track and measure the effectiveness of your brand-building initiatives across various touchpoints. First, you\u2019ll need to determine what specific metrics you want to track:<\/span> Implement tracking tools and technologies to monitor consumer interactions and collect data across all relevant touchpoints. This may involve using web analytics platforms like Google Analytics, social media analytics tools, ad tracking platforms, CRM systems, marketing automation software, or a measurement tool like <\/span>TEGNA Attribution<\/span><\/a>. Ensure that your tracking tools are properly configured to capture data accurately.<\/span><\/p>\n Monitor brand mentions and sentiment across social media, review websites, forums, and other online platforms to gauge brand awareness and perception. Use social listening tools and sentiment analysis to track conversations about your brand and identify trends, sentiment shifts, and areas for improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n Analyze attribution data to understand the impact of different touchpoints on brand awareness. Evaluate which channels and campaigns contribute most to brand visibility, engagement, and recall. Identify patterns, trends, and correlations in the data to inform future marketing strategies and investments.<\/span><\/p>\n Use insights from attribution analysis to optimize your brand awareness campaigns. Allocate resources to channels and campaigns that drive the highest brand lift and ROI. Experiment with messaging, creatives, targeting strategies, and ad placements to maximize the effectiveness of your brand-building initiatives.<\/span><\/p>\n One way to create amazing brand awareness, albeit at a high cost, is to advertise during the Super Bowl. One example is Dunkin\u2019 Donuts\u2019 DunKings spot starring Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Tom Brady in distinct orange and pink tracksuits. Audiences loved the ad so much <\/span>USA Today reports<\/span><\/a> that it only took 19 minutes for the item to sell out on the <\/span>Dunkin\u2019 merch website<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHow Brand Awareness Works<\/b><\/h2>\n
Exposure<\/b><\/h3>\n
Recognition<\/b><\/h3>\n
Familiarity & Trust<\/b><\/h3>\n
Association<\/b><\/h3>\n
Purchase<\/b><\/h3>\n
Why Is It Important to Build Brand Awareness?<\/b><\/h2>\n
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3 Ways to Build Brand Awareness<\/b><\/h2>\n
1. Leverage Television Advertising<\/b><\/h3>\n
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2. Combine the Power of Broadcast and Streaming TV<\/b><\/h3>\n
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3. Create Consistent Cross-Channel Branding<\/b><\/h3>\n
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How to Measure Brand Awareness<\/b><\/h2>\n
Key Brand Awareness Metrics<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Implement Tracking Tools<\/b><\/h3>\n
Track Brand Mentions and Sentiment<\/b><\/h3>\n
Analyze Attribution Data<\/b><\/h3>\n
Optimize Campaigns<\/b><\/h3>\n
Great Brand Awareness Examples from TEGNA<\/b><\/h2>\n