Best Brand Awareness Strategies Overview (with Examples)

Have you heard that brand awareness activities don't translate into monetary value? Well, here's a study to change your stakeholders' minds.

In 2020, McKinsey stated it clearly: the top 40 strongest brands significantly outperform the MSCI benchmark in a 20 year perspective.

Strong brands perform better, attracting (and retaining) more clients. It's a must-have for a thriving business in the long-term perspective. And brand awareness is key for becoming an option in your customers' minds.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll cover:

• what is brand awareness
• why is it important (with Apple case study)
• 5 steps to build brand awareness
• how to improve brand awareness
• surprising examples of B2C and B2B brand awareness tactics

Key takeaways

• Brand awareness is the measure of how familiar your target audience is with your brand and its associated products or services.
• Effective brand awareness strategies involve a mix of digital and traditional marketing tactics, including social media, content marketing, influencer partnerships, and strategic media placements.
• Tracking and measuring brand awareness through tools like media monitoring, sentiment analysis, and brand tracking surveys is crucial for optimizing your efforts.
• Investing in brand awareness can lead to significant benefits, such as increased customer loyalty, higher brand equity, and ultimately, a stronger bottom line.

What is brand awareness?

Brand awareness tells you if your target audience knows your brand. It includes whether they recall your offer or can identify you among your competitors. It makes a fundamental layer of any brand strategy: if your target audience doesn't notice you, all the other actions won't bring results.

That's the brand awareness definition. In other words, brand awareness puts your brand inside your target audience's brain – and then your work is to become a first-to-mind option.

Brand awareness vs brand recognition

To drive brand awareness, you first need to create brand recognition. What's the difference? Assume you work for a fast food chain:

• brand recognition is when someone experiences your brand assets (sees the logo, hears the jingle etc.) and is able to say it's you: for example, when picking food from an app, they'd recognize your logo.
• brand awareness is when someone thinks they're hungry and your burgers come first to their minds. And they know you offer incredible ice cream desserts as well.

Each brand awareness strategy builds on brand recognition.

Why is brand awareness important? Apple case study

Brand awareness activities, or the consistent delivery of strong, memorable brand messages, ensures your brand gains your target customers' trust. It lets you establish a connection with your audience, increases brand awareness, and lets you stand out from the competition.

Investing in brand awareness is crucial for the long-term success and viability of your business.

Here are some of the key benefits of building a strong brand awareness with examples taken from Apple:

#1 Increased customer loyalty

When your target audience is familiar with your brand and its offers, they're more likely to choose your products or services over competitors. This can lead to higher customer retention rates and a more loyal customer base.

👉 Example: customers choosing different products from one brand

Apple's strong brand awareness has fostered a dedicated customer base. Many Apple users are loyal to the brand, consistently choosing Apple products over competitors. This loyalty is evident in the "Apple ecosystem" phenomenon, where customers often own multiple Apple devices and services, strengthening their connection to the brand.

#2 Higher brand equity

A well-known and respected brand commands a higher perceived value in the eyes of consumers, allowing you to potentially charge premium prices and enjoy greater pricing power.

👉 Example: Apple's brand awareness contributes significantly to its brand equity.

The Apple logo alone is instantly recognizable worldwide, allowing the company to command premium prices for its products. This strong brand equity translates into higher profit margins and overall company valuation.

#3 Enhanced brand recognition

By consistently reinforcing your brand's visual identity, messaging, and unique value proposition, you can ensure that your target audience easily recognizes and remembers your brand.

👉 Example: How to build brand recognition? Consistency is key.

Apple's distinctive design and marketing campaigns make their products easy to identify. Whether it's the iconic Apple logo, the sleek design of the iPhone, or the unique user interface of iOS, consumers can quickly recognize Apple products even from a distance.

#4 Improved marketing effectiveness

With a strong foundation of brand awareness, your other marketing efforts, such as advertising, content marketing, and social media campaigns, will be more impactful and effective in reaching and resonating with your target audience.

👉 Example: Product launch

Apple's high brand awareness impacts the results of their marketing efforts. When Apple launches a new product, it doesn't need to explain who they are or what they stand for. This allows them to focus their marketing on product features and benefits, making their campaigns more efficient and cost-effective.

Apart from this, Apple new product launches make an event in themselves – and no other smartphone brand can compare.

#5 Competitive advantage

In crowded and highly competitive markets, a well-known and trusted brand can give you a significant advantage over your competitors, making it harder for newcomers to penetrate the market.

👉 Example: Apple's brand awareness gives it a significant edge over competitors.

When consumers think of premium smartphones or computers, Apple is often the first brand that comes to mind. This off-the-top-of-the-head awareness makes it challenging for competitors to gain a market share, especially in the high-end market segment.

#6 Increased sales and revenue

Ultimately, all the benefits of brand awareness contribute to a positive impact on your bottom line. Numerous studies have shown a direct correlation between high brand awareness and increased sales and revenue growth.

By prioritizing brand awareness as a key strategic objective, you can unlock a world of opportunities for your business, from building lasting customer relationships to driving sustainable growth and profitability.

👉 Example: Strong brand awareness directly contributes to Apple's impressive sales figures.

When new products are released, they often generate significant buzz and anticipation, leading to high pre-order numbers and long queues at Apple stores. This awareness-driven demand consistently translates into strong sales performance and revenue growth for the company.

How to build brand awareness in 5 steps

To successfully enhance brand awareness, you need to know these two details clearly:

• your audience
• your brand qualities

Step 1: Understand your audience

To ensure your brand awareness strategy will bring results, you first need to understand your audience. Who do you want to reach? What are their pain points? What would they appreciate in your brand?

• Conduct market research to identify your ideal customers' demographics, psychographics, needs, and preferences.
• Create detailed buyer personas to guide your branding efforts.

Why is this the first step?
When you know your audience, you're able to find common areas in their needs and your offer. It helps you ensure that your brand awareness campaign will cut through the noise and reach its goals.

Step 2: Define your brand image

Develop a clear and consistent brand image that resonates with your target audience.

This includes creating a unique visual identity (logo, color scheme, typography) and establishing your brand's personality. Ensure that all brand elements align with your company's values and mission. You'd be surprised how these elements can increase brand presence.

Step 3: Find your value proposition

How to spread brand awareness when you don't have a defined value? Well, you simply can't do it effectively.

Identify and articulate your unique value proposition.

What sets your brand apart from competitors? Focus on the specific benefits and solutions your brand offers to customers. Your value proposition should be clear, compelling, and relevant to your target audience, serving as the foundation of your brand messaging.

Step 4: Discover Tone of Voice

Establish a distinctive tone of voice that reflects your brand's personality and resonates with your audience.

Whether it's professional, friendly, humorous, or authoritative, your tone should be consistent across all communications. This consistency helps build brand recognition and fosters a connection with your audience.

Step 5: Assess various communication channels

👉 Evaluate different marketing channels to determine the most effective ways to reach your target audience.

Consider both digital and traditional media options. For digital channels, assess various social media platforms, content marketing opportunities, email marketing, and paid advertising.

Don't overlook traditional channels like print media, radio, or outdoor advertising if they align with your audience's habits.

👉 When choosing social media channels, focus on platforms where your target audience is most active and engaged.

For example, LinkedIn might be ideal for B2B brands, while Instagram or TikTok are usually a part of digital strategies to increase brand awareness among younger consumers. Consider using a mix of platforms to maximize reach and engagement.

👉 Combine these channels strategically to create an integrated marketing approach.

Use consistent messaging and visuals across all platforms while tailoring content to suit each channel's unique characteristics. This multi-channel approach helps reinforce your brand message and increases the chances of reaching your audience through their preferred mediums.

How to increase brand awareness? Four tactics

Wondering how to gain brand awareness? Let's show you our favorite ways to raise awareness that you can implement in your strategy.

1️⃣ Think about stories

Develop compelling brand stories that resonate with your audience.

Use storytelling techniques to share your brand's history, values, and impact. Create emotional connections by highlighting customer success stories or by showcasing how your brand solves real-world problems. Engaging narratives can make your brand more memorable and shareable.

💡 If you need inspiration, check how to raise brand awareness with PR storytelling.

2️⃣ Find partnerships

Collaborate with complementary brands, influencers, or industry leaders to expand your reach.

Look for partnership opportunities that align with your brand values and target audience. Co-branded campaigns, sponsorships, or joint events can introduce your brand to new audiences and build credibility through association.

💡 How to find potential partners?

• Definitely start with market research, looking for complimentary organizations. Take it further and attend conferences or trade shows, where you can establish personal connections. Remember about the power of LinkedIn as well!
• You can also get creative and think about more uncommon ways you can show your brand qualities in different contexts. Don't limit yourself to companies: partnerships with events, NGOs, or artists can give you unexpected results.

3️⃣ Make use of traditional media

When thinking about how to generate brand awareness, traditional media can get overlooked – and that's a missed opportunity!

Press releases, media interviews, and feature articles in relevant publications can significantly boost your brand's visibility. Develop relationships with journalists and industry publications to increase your chances of gaining earned media coverage.

💡 How to get started with media relations?

The key element of media relations is finding the right people. You might manually look for journalists that cover similar stories and reach out to them via email or leverage professional solutions.

PR software like Prowly gives you tools to manage media relations, like a media database (with over 1M contacts!) and outreach services. Check out our guide on media relations to find out more!

4️⃣ Measure, optimize and refine

Implement tools and metrics to track your brand awareness efforts. Monitor key performance indicators such as brand recall, social media mentions, website traffic, and engagement rates. Regularly analyze this data to identify what's working and what isn't. Use these insights to continuously refine your strategies, increasing brand awareness over time.

💡 How to measure an increase in brand awareness?

For measuring brand awareness, you can check how many people are talking about your brand online – and benchmark it against other periods. It's especially satisfying when you go from no or low brand awareness to huge numbers.

In Prowly, you can use the social listening panel to assess not only how many people are talking about your brand, but also check the sentiment of each mention.

What are brand awareness strategies? (Even more) examples

When you look at any of the Formula 1 race day, they're just full of brands willing to build brand recognition and grow brand awareness. From just displaying their logo to huge campaigns and influencing the sport: let's talk about examples of building brand awareness strategy.

Red Bull

Red Bull is deeply involved in F1, owning two teams: Red Bull Racing and Visa Cash RB. This gives them extensive brand exposure through team liveries, driver suits, and paddock presence. Additionally, they often have track-side advertising at various circuits.

Their involvement goes beyond mere sponsorship, as they are actively participating in the sport, which significantly boosts their brand association with F1's values of speed, precision, and high performance – especially at times when they are the top team in F1.

Most of the teams are owned by automotive brands: think Mercedes, McLaren or Aston Martin. Red Bull leverages being an energy drink maker and you can often spot their drivers or engineers with a can of Red Bull.

💡 Key learning point:
Play your uniqueness card. Who'd have thought that an energy drink maker would win automotive championships?

Heineken

How do you build brand awareness at a race event (POV: you're a beer brand)?

Heineken seems to have found the sweet spot.

Heineken is an official F1 partner, prominently featured in track-side advertising at many races. They've cleverly tied their brand to responsible drinking campaigns, using the slogan "When You Drive, Never Drink" and promoting their non-alcoholic "0.0" beer. This strategy not only raises brand awareness but also positions Heineken as a socially responsible company, aligning with F1's safety messaging.

💡 Key learning point:
A successful beer promotion at a motorsport event in 21st century? With the right values, it's definitely possible. When you plan your brand awareness campaign, make sure to capitalize on the right messaging.

Looking to kickstart your own brand awareness campaign? Check out our handy guide on doing just that!

Rolex

Rolex, as the official timekeeper of F1, leverages its precision and luxury image through prominent placement of its logo and clocks at race starting lines and key timing points. The large Rolex clock at the start/finish line is often featured in broadcasts, reinforcing the brand's association with accuracy and prestige in a high-tech sport.

💡 Key learning point:
Consistency. F1 is just one of many prestigious sports where Rolex is present.

Salesforce

What do motorsports and CRM have in common?

Data.

Salesforce uses its F1 partnership to showcase its data analytics capabilities. They handle the "Driver of the Day" fan vote, demonstrating how their technology can process real-time data and fan engagement. It's a great example of leveraging tech and connecting two seemingly different areas.

💡 Key learning point:
Show your value, don't only talk about it. Salesforce delivers fun, but their target audience can't help but notice their tech prowess.

Pirelli

As the sole tire supplier for F1, Pirelli gains extensive exposure through constant mentions of tire compounds, strategies, and pit stops. Their logo is visible on all cars and in the pit lane. Pirelli leverages this to showcase their technology and performance: after all, what fan wouldn't like their regular car to have something in common with the F1 bolid?

💡 Key learning point:
Don't limit yourself to your service or products: showcase your expertise.

Whole lots of teams' sponsors

F1 bolids are just soaked in numerous brand logos: all looking for ways to increase brand awareness. From regular logo placement to creative ways of showing off the brand: let's go through McLaren sponsors' brand awareness strategy examples.

How creative can you get with showing your brand on a car?

Well, the bar was raised by Google. They use McLaren bolids as a moving billboard for their products, with the Android mascot and Chrome logo creatively integrated into the livery. The Google Chrome wheel on a wheel? Love it!

• Helmets and suits: that's definitely the go-to logo placement and solid B2B brand awareness strategy. It works as "one more" touchpoint, where your customers can see your logo and unwittingly build associations.
• As a luxury watch brand, Richard Mille benefits from association with F1's precision and exclusivity, often featured prominently on driver's wrists, suits and car liveries.
• McLaren went creative with utilizing their car livery for sponsorship purposes. It's the first team to use screens where brand content is displayed.

How will you raise brand awareness?

Strategically, we hope!

On a more serious note, though. Working on brand awareness is a process, not a one-time event. Stay agile and committed to your brand's long-term growth and you'll unlock the true power of brand awareness to take your business to new heights.

As you've surely noticed, there's no one tried and true way to create brand awareness. Building it requires creativity and patience: Apple wasn't built in a day. Yet as we've said, it gives you a super-valuable, intangible asset that your competition can't steal.

So, how will you create brand awareness for your company?