What is brand recognition?

Having a fantastic product to sell is just a part of what it takes to build a successful brand. The rest is all about making sure your customers know and recognize your brand when they see related elements. Here’s a closer look at brand recognition.

Brand recognition is a term that describes the ability of consumers to identify a specific brand by its attributes over another one. It’s more than simply recognizing the name or one of the products of a brand. When a brand has achieved a high level of recognition, people also instinctively recognize color, logos, slogans, and even tones associated with it.

Brand Recognition vs. Brand Awareness

Brand recognition shouldn’t be confused with brand awareness. They are related, but they’re not the same thing. Brand recognition is the visual and audio cues people use to identify a brand. Brand awareness, on the other hand, is the knowledge that a brand exists. Brand recognition is one element involved in the broader idea of brand awareness. For instance, if people don’t know about the Coca-cola brand, they probably won’t recognize and associate the red and white colour with its product.

Why Does Brand Recognition Matter?

1. Helps your audience trust you
The consumers will probably choose them over a similar brand they’ve heard of, whether or not they’ve purchased their products before. The more familiar they are with a brand, the more likely they are to trust it and feel comfortable choosing it over its competitors.

2. Increase the perceived value of your products
The higher the level of brand recognition, the less apprehensive a consumer will be about shelling out the money for what you offer. Apple is the best example of a brand with this concept. Their products are often significantly more expensive than other competitors in the market, but their customers are still willing to camp overnight outside their store to make sure they’re the first one who gets the new product.

Five Stages of Brand Recognition

Awareness – the stage during which you’re getting your name out there, as well as helping consumers associate it with your chosen visuals and slogans.
Preference – the stage where your potential customers learn to select your products over the alternatives.
Reputation – the stage where your customers don’t just choose you, but start to respect your brand and see it as having a genuine value that exceeds their other options.
Trust – your customer begins to build a sense of attachment to your company and products. They choose your brand is no longer just about reliable products, but also the personal connection they feel to your brand.
Loyalty – During the final stage of brand recognition, your loyal customer will go out of their way to buy from you and likely consider their lives incomplete without your products.

Conclusion

A successful branding strategy never loses sight of people and consumers, and strives to connect with people in terms that resonate with them. Establishing a clear brand identity and developing an initial brand recognition strategy is the first step.

Need help to get started? We have a group of professional and experienced branding consultants at ShangHai, the most influential business media in Malaysia. Get in touch with us now!