- \n
- A memorable brand story is essential for creating lasting impressions and building brand awareness. Compelling storytelling helps connect with customers on a personal level, making your brand relatable and impactful.<\/li>\n
- To stand out in a crowded market, employ tactics like native ads, video storytelling and brand partnerships. They foster authentic engagement and highlight your brand values.<\/li>\n
- Social media campaigns that use hashtags can spark user interaction and drive brand visibility. Simple but memorable hashtags increase reach and encourage customer engagement.<\/li>\n
- Continually invest in advertising and evolving marketing campaigns to stay relevant and meet customer expectations to sustain ongoing brand awareness.<\/li>\n
- Tools like social listening platforms and surveys are essential for tracking the success of brand awareness efforts. By analyzing data, brands can refine their strategies to ensure long-term memorability and brand visibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n
The components of a compelling brand story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The key to brand awareness comes down to having a memorable brand. Attached to a memorable brand is a strong brand identity<\/a> and a narrative that people will remember the next time they are choosing a product. Brand storytelling<\/a> is kind of like baking a cake. Even though you change up some of your ingredients to get different flavors, the main ingredients, like eggs and flour, stay the same.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every compelling brand story also has some constant ingredients: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Exposition\u2014the information the reader needs to get context for the story\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Conflict\u2014a problem that needs solving<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Resolution for that conflict<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"Logo](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1024,h_1024,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1734700049\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/logo-design-1_30674e1875\/logo-design-1_30674e1875.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSource: <\/em>Logo design by <\/em>Virtuoso via 99designs by Vista<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you can see in the logo design created for Beers with Bears, an image can tell a compelling story. There\u2019s exposition: we see there\u2019s beer, bears and despite being established in 2020, there\u2019s an established, old-school feel through the font choice, brand colors<\/a> and badge-style logo<\/a>. We\u2019re intrigued, we want to know how the beer and bears come together and how we factor into that situation, so we read on to find out exactly<\/em> what the brand entails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n \n\n\n Tip <\/div>\n\nTo build a strong brand, you\u2019ll need to create a brand style guide<\/a>. Take a look at the best brand guideline examples<\/a> to inspire you.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n
How were things before your brand?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Explain what the situation was like before your brand created the solution that benefits the buyer. Make your target customer<\/a> feel understood, validated and recognized. Acknowledge that how things used to be doesn\u2019t have to be how things are now your product exists. For example, before your brand of coffee chocolate-chip cookies, cookies were just okay, but there was just something missing.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Logo](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1024,h_1024,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1734699997\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/brand-awareness\/brand-awareness.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSource: Logo design by <\/em>Saturn\u2122<\/em><\/a> via 99designs by Vista<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is the conflict?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Explain what the friction is in this situation. What is keeping things from being in the state they should be in? For example, the snack industry went back and forth, trying new ideas for energy-boosting cookies, but nothing seemed the right fit. Peanut butter cookies delivered protein but tasted just okay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is the resolution?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How does your brand provide the solution a consumer needs and how does it do it better than any competing brand? Cast your brand as the knight in shining armor in the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Outline the solutions your brand offers and how it relieves the buyers\u2019 pain points in a clear and concise way. Keeping with our energy cookie example, the unique resolution is caffeinated chocolate chips that have a sophisticated taste for the professional who needs energy all afternoon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
People want to know that the problems they have are valid and can be resolved. Building brand awareness starts with showing people there is a solution to their struggles and brand loyalty starts when they experience that your brand is uniquely equipped to provide that solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Creating brand awareness in crowded spaces<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
According to Forbes, the average American sees 4,000 to 10,000 ads a day<\/a>, so creatively grabbing the attention of your target audience has never been more important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Logo](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1024,h_621,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1734700017\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/siren-logo\/siren-logo.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSource: Logo design by <\/em>Vikstar<\/em><\/a> via 99designs by Vista.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
To build brand recognition and attract customer attention in a crowded market, it\u2019s important to tell a compelling story. What\u2019s your story\u2019s unique spin? Is it a sustainability brand promise<\/a>? Maybe it\u2019s the philosophy that everyone should have a good pair of socks. Your story doesn\u2019t have to be an epic\u2014it just has to grab enough attention to make customers notice your brand. Then think about what message people should walk away with after hearing your story. Will they remember it and return to your brand to make a purchase?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Packaging](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_960,h_672,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1734700039\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/packaging-design_30676390f6\/packaging-design_30676390f6.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSource: <\/em>Bottle label design by GOOSEBUMPS via 99designs by Vista<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several successful companies have created memorable marketing<\/a> campaigns that increase brand awareness. Brand awareness efforts don\u2019t stop once a brand is considered \u201cestablished.\u201d In fact, it means the opposite\u2014the world has expectations for that brand, and for the brand to stay relevant, they need to keep meeting those expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Coca-Cola](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_960,h_641,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1734700070\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/coca-cola_30668bf3e1\/coca-cola_30668bf3e1.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSource: Coca-Cola Christmas marketing campaign via <\/em>CampaignUS<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brand awareness is a constantly evolving process to reach new customers and build meaningful lasting relationships. For example, Coca-Cola, one of the most recognized brands in the world, spent an annual average of $4 billion on advertising<\/a> between 2015 and 2020. You can create brand awareness with a great brand story and marketing campaigns that reach your ideal demographics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Five ways to build brand awareness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A compelling story communicates your brand\u2019s mission and values. But that story doesn\u2019t matter if you aren\u2019t getting it in front of your target audience. In 2020, over 89% of shoppers claimed<\/a> they stay loyal to brands that share their values. Building brand awareness means showing customers that your brand stays true to its values. You can do that through brand marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brand marketing<\/a> is the overall strategy of advertising your products, services or brand as a whole, while brand campaigns are strategies like social media<\/a> posts, podcasts and blogs that establish a brand within its industry without overtly selling buyers on specific products. When they\u2019re successful, these campaigns don\u2019t just connect with the target audience, but create organic engagement that makes followers feel like they\u2019re interacting with a friend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are five effective ways to build brand awareness:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Native ads<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ve seen them before: as you scroll through Instagram<\/a> or Facebook, you see an interesting post. To take a look and realize, it\u2019s not from one of your friends\u2014it\u2019s from a brand, and it\u2019s actually an ad. You\u2019re engaging with a native ad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Native ads are designed to look similar to user-created content. You\u2019ll see them on Pinterest, Buzzfeed and Facebook, both in your feed and when you search specific tags. It seems kind of tricky, but is very effective. Because over 70% of individuals<\/a> want to learn about products through content rather than through traditional advertising, Native advertising is becoming the standard for how ads are delivered across many digital platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Storytelling through videos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Campaign videos are a powerful tool to convey emotion and humanize a brand. A great example of a brand story is Nike\u2019s Equality Campaign with the tagline \u201cEquality has no boundaries,\u201d with a clear message about providing opportunity, equality and support for marginalized communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Campaign](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1024,h_423,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1734700077\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/campaign-videos\/campaign-videos.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSource: <\/em>Nike\u2019s Equality Campaign Video via X<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Engagement with videos is easy to track through comments, likes and shares etc. Done well, by communicating thoughtful core values, videos can help change the narrative from just selling a product to much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. Blogging<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Blogging can be a complete game changer when it comes to creating brand awareness. <\/em>People go on the internet to see what the experts have to say about different topics. Blogging\u2014whether it\u2019s on your own website<\/a> or as a guest blogger\u2014enables you to be the expert that people are looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In blog posts, you can share thoughts and ideas, provide context and thoughtfully answer any questions the reader may have. Positioning yourself as an expert in your industry builds trust and teaches people to associate your brand with an authoritative voice. Blogging not only attracts curious web surfers but also improves search engine optimization (SEO), which means your website will rank higher on search engines\u2026which only increases brand awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Partnerships<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Partnering with other small businesses can be a mutually beneficial co-branding<\/a> marketing strategy, making it easier to reach new audiences. Dunkin\u2019 Donuts\u2019 fundraising campaign in partnership with Waze is a great example of a strategic partnership that helped build brand awareness for both companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dunkin\u2019 and Waze worked together to raise money for The Joy in Childhood, Dunkin\u2019s foundation committed to provide meals to children battling hunger or illness. Each Dunkin\u2019 location was marked with a gold pin on the Waze app. There was also a \u201cGoing Gold Voice Pack\u201d for Waze with a voiceover from children with cancer. With every download of the pack, Dunkin\u2019 donated to the foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Partnering](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1024,h_578,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1734700026\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/partnering\/partnering.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSource: Dunkin\u2019 Donuts\u2019 partnership with Waze via <\/em>Hill Holiday<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
This partnership worked because people use the Waze app in the morning on their way to work, then stop at Dunkin\u2019 to grab a coffee and donuts. If you\u2019re considering a brand partnership to raise brand awareness, think carefully about which other small businesses complement yours. For example, if you\u2019re a sportswear retailer, partnering with a gym franchise would make sense, whereas partnering with a fast food restaurant wouldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Hashtags and follower engagement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hashtags might seem really simple, but are a great cataloging technique that can lead to increased engagement rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An example of an established brand using hashtags to spark new user engagement is Lay\u2019s potato chips\u2019 #DoUsAFlavor campaign, which invited people to vote on the three new flavors that hit the market in 2017. The internet spoke and the crowning winner was Crispy Taco flavor. After the campaign was done, Lay’s sales reportedly increased by 12%<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Lay\u2019s](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1024,h_621,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1734700007\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/lays-campaign\/lays-campaign.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSource: Lay\u2019s #DoUsAFlavor campaign via <\/em>Convenience Store News<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hashtags are powerful and contagious! The secrets to an effective hashtag campaign include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Engagement with followers<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Posting consistently<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- A catchy tagline e.g. #DoUsAFlavor is funny and simple to recall<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Brand awareness is only the beginning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The reason why these marketing strategies work is that they don\u2019t just ask the audience to buy products, they ask customers to trust and invest emotionally in the brands promoting the products. Creating this familiarity is the top portion of the marketing funnel<\/a>\u2014the process of guiding potential buyers to make purchases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Successful brand awareness campaigns are created by observing moments where people engage with the brand in their day. Zero in on where your target demographic expends most of their attention, then concentrate your marketing efforts there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But how can you tell if your marketing efforts are working? Track content on social media by using social listening tools like HubSpot and Hootsuite, sending out surveys to your email list and using Google Ads. With this data, you can measure which campaigns achieved their goal and which weren\u2019t worth the investment. Remember, when it comes to brand awareness, the most important measure of return on investment is how well the brand sticks in the audience\u2019s minds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make your brand unforgettable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n