Potential customers develop their opinions on a given brand based on its online image. What to remember about when creating advertising messages? How do they affect the brand image?
Everyone likes buying products representing brands we have positive associations with and identify with their philosophy. Skilfully executed advertising actions both online and offline increase brand awareness, impact on its image, build confidence and can have a measurable influence on branding. How do advertising communications affect the brand perception?
They strengthen recognition
In order to strengthen brand recognition, it is advisable to speak the same language anywhere and anytime. This is true for both a website, visual identification or promotional materials. They should be immediately associated with a particular company. Multiple communications (push or email) significantly increase a possibility of having the brand remembered, and equally importantly, arise positive associations, such as attention to detail and transparency. The message needs to be addressed to a specific target group. Graphics-based advertisements are a much better choice than text ones. Owing to them we can develop a history or create an emotional bond with a recipient.
They increase brand awareness
The brand image in the media can be evaluated by means of content analysis, checking what terms are most often used regarding the brand and in what context they appear (e.g. whether Internet users’ expressions contain particular brands next to the word “tea”).
Awareness surveys are a better solution. The most crucial indicators include unaided brand awareness which – as the very name suggests – refers to unaided, i.e. spontaneous, first consumer associations. On the other hand, aided awareness is a proportion of the target group declaring awareness of a given brand simultaneously after having been shown competitors.
Companies can make their presence in the market known primarily through image-related and advertising activities. They include among others active presence in social media, push communications, mailings, content marketing, as well as various kinds of contests and promotions engaging recipients.
They build confidence
From a recipient’s perspective, advertising should be authentic, while from a company’s point of view it should be effective. An advertising communication ought to be understandable, concise, appealing and convincing. Nevertheless, in order to gain confidence of the target group, this may appear to be insufficient. The brand should be followed by an idea, so that it is possible to locate it in potential customers’ awareness. However, it should be borne in mind that this refers to a brand that we are only positioning in the market – forcing a consumer to revise their views is quite risky. Regular confidence-building and brand loyalty determine customers come back to the same products and make automatic buying decisions.
Consumer needs
Should the needs be satisfied or created? Apple is an obvious example of the brand that has created the need. In mature markets consumers purchase products not for their functional features, but emotional ones – “You can’t just ask consumers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new!” On the other hand, a washing powder with a whitener doesn’t discover anything particular, but satisfies an evident need.
