The term "brand awareness" refers to the percentage of customers in a market who can name the brand, according to market research firm Dobney.com. Brand awareness is one of the important measures of the effectiveness of a branding program; other measures include brand image, brand equity and brand value. Aim to maximize brand awareness in your target market since awareness provides the foundation for other marketing activities to increase sales of your products or services.
Measurement
Researchers use two techniques to measure brand awareness: brand recall and brand recognition, according to marketing professor Pierre Chandon of the European business school INSEAD. In brand recall tests, researchers measure the ability of consumers to recall brand names in a particular product category. In a brand recognition test, researchers provide consumers with a list of brands and ask if they can remember seeing any of the brands before.
Brand Recall Goals
Aim to make your brand the first name that consumers mention during a recall test. This is important because your brand must also be the first name that consumers recall when they are making a purchasing decision online or in a store. Brands that achieve this position are described as "front of mind" and have a strong competitive advantage. Success in a brand recall test is a measure of the effectiveness of your marketing activities. If your brand achieves a low position in a test, modify your marketing program to focus on activities such as advertising to raise awareness.
Brand Recognition Goals
Brand recognition tests measure the effectiveness of different marketing decisions you have made, such as choosing one logo design over another or using certain images in your advertising. Researchers show an advertisement, a logo or a brand name and ask consumers if they recognize it or have seen it before. For example, consumers may report that they recognize a brand as one that they saw in an advertisement or a store display. The goal for this test is to achieve high levels of recognition. The results of the test can help you to refine the content or design of your marketing communications so that you improve recognition levels and improve the return on your marketing expenditure.
Social Media Goals
Tracking your brand’s following in social media is another useful measure of brand awareness. By measuring the number of your brand’s followers on media such as Twitter or Facebook, you can monitor the growth or decline in levels of interest. An important goal is to increase the level of exposure you achieve in social media.
