By Jillian Senft
As said in the scholarly article Influence of Brands signature, Brand Awareness, Brand Attitude, Brand Reputation on Hotel Industry’s Brand Performance the way a brand portrays themselves especially on social media is very important to their audience. What brand do you see on social media that you think has a credible brand reputation?
Brand Awareness
It is very important for a brand to be aware of the strategies that they use and how they will influence their audience. “Brand awareness refers to the strength of a brand’s presence in consumers’ minds and is defined as the ability for a buyer to recognize or recall that a brand is a member of a certain product category” (Foroudi 2018). Most brands strive for familiarity with their consumers or the target audience they are striving to reach. The more aware a brand is creating a higher possibility that consumers will purchase a product or service. Brand awareness can be measured in various ways, including consumer surveys and social media analytics. Factors that can influence brand awareness include marketing campaigns, advertising, brand logos and visual identity, and customer experiences. Building and maintaining strong brand awareness is essential for businesses to establish themselves in their markets and to differentiate themselves from competitors.
Brand Signature
A brand signature, also known as a brand mark or a brand logo, is a visual symbol or design that represents a brand and is used to identify and differentiate it from other brands in the market. “The favorability of a brand signature appeals to the extent to which consumers positively regard it and there is a growing need for international marketing scholars not only to adapt to changing global market conditions but also to contribute to public discourse on branding practices” (Foroudi 2018). A brand signature can help establish brand recognition and can evoke emotions and associations in the minds of consumers. It can also communicate a brand’s values, personality, and unique selling proposition. A well-designed brand signature can be an effective tool for building brand equity and creating a memorable brand image.
Brand Reputation
Brand reputation refers to the overall perception and image that consumers have of a particular brand. “The reputation of a brand/company is a combination of reliability, admiration, benevolence, respect, and confidence in current and plausible future actions of an organization – a combination which can easily be lost” (Foroudi 2018). It is the result of various experiences, interactions, and associations that customers have with the brand over time. A positive reputation can lead to increased customer trust and loyalty, while a negative reputation can drive customers away and harm the brand. Marketing strategies that focus on building and maintaining a strong brand reputation often involve creating a consistent brand image and messaging across all customer touchpoints, delivering high-quality products and services, and prioritizing customer satisfaction and feedback. It is important for brands to invest in reputation management tactics and to engage with their customers to build positive relationships.
Brand Performance
Brand performance refers to the evaluation of how well a brand is performing in the market, based on various metrics such as sales revenue, market share, customer loyalty, brand recognition, brand image, and customer satisfaction. “Attributes towards brand reputation which depend upon reliability and benevolence impacts on brand’s performance” (Foroudi 2018). It is a measure of how effectively a brand is meeting the expectations and needs of its target audience and achieving its marketing objectives. A strong brand can also impact employee engagement. Employees are more likely to be proud to work for a well-respected brand, which can lead to better job satisfaction and retention. Brand performance can be assessed through both quantitative and qualitative analysis. A well-performing brand can increase customer loyalty, attract new customers, and drive sales. By tracking brand performance over time, companies can identify areas of strength and weakness and develop strategies to improve their brand’s overall performance and market position.
This article is relevant with IMC because its purpose is to send a unified message about brand awareness, brand reputation and brand signature across many marketing channels for brand usage. This is what builds an image and how brands become so successful. It is important to understand a company’s brand performance is closely tied to its reputation. A strong brand can help build a positive reputation, while a weak brand can damage it. I found this article shows this risk of delivering the wrong message which in the end can result in your audience questioning your brand’s credibility.
Reference
Foroudi, P. (2018.). Influence of brand signature, brand awareness, brand attitude, brand reputation on hotel industry’s brand performance. Science Direct, from https://www-sciencedirect-com.liblink.uncw.edu/science/article/pii/S0278431917308411?via%3Dihub#bibl0005
Hanss. (2022, February 15). Student browsing internet using computer. working on computer at home. Vecteezy. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/5579929-student-browsing-internet-using-computer-working-on-computer-at-home
Liftoff. (2019, April 11). Retrieved April 23, 2023, Brand marketers and Performance Marketers Work Better together. from https://liftoff.io/blog/brand-marketers-and-performance-marketers-work-better-together/
Szafranski, P. (2020, March 9). The importance of Brand Awareness. KOBBA. Retrieved April 23, 2023, from https://www.kobba.ie/the-importance-of-brand-awareness
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