2.15 - Brand Awareness & Recognition - notes

Brand recognition in children

Brand recognition refers to the ability to identify a brand through its visual elements, such as logos or packaging, without needing to recall the name from memory.

Challenging traditional theories

Jean Piaget, a Swiss psychologist known for his theory of cognitive development, suggested that children under seven struggle with abstract thinking, which would include understanding brand logos as symbols for products. However, evidence counters this idea, showing that even three-year-olds can identify well-known logos.

Links to health concerns

Research highlights a critical link between early brand recognition and health outcomes. For example, recognising fast-food brands at a young age can predict higher risks of childhood obesity.

Key research: Fischer et al. (1991) on logo recognition

Aim

To examine logo recognition in children aged three to six, including both child-targeted and adult-targeted brands.

Participants

Children aged three to six years old.

Procedure

Children were asked to match 22 logos to corresponding pictures on a board. The logos included those aimed at children (such as Disney for television or Cheerios for cereal) and adults (such as IBM for computers or Camel for cigarettes). Parents provided information on their smoking habits, television viewing, and requests for branded items.

Results

Older children showed stronger recognition overall. Six-year-olds easily identified logos for both child and adult products, while three-year-olds were more successful with child-targeted ones.

Key findings:

Recognition of the Camel cigarette logo (Joe the Camel) was high, with 30% of three-year-olds and 91.3% of six-year-olds identifying it, regardless of whether their families smoked.

Conclusions

Children can recognise logos aimed at both adults and children from an early age. This raises concerns about advertising's influence, such as cigarette promotions potentially increasing future health risks.

Brand awareness and image

Brand awareness is the extent to which consumers are familiar with a product and can distinguish it from competitors.

How brand awareness influences consumer behaviour

Consumers often prefer familiar brands due to the availability heuristic – a mental shortcut where easily recalled information is judged as more important or likely. As a result, effective branding conveys benefits, which can create positive associations and encourage loyalty.

The role of brand image

Brand image refers to the perceptions and emotions linked to a brand. Strong branding not only increases recognition but also shapes how consumers view the product. This differentiation from rivals is key to building long-term market success.

Effective slogans and their purposes

Slogans are short, memorable phrases used in advertising to reinforce a brand's message. Unlike fixed elements like logos, slogans are frequently updated to refresh appeal, target new audiences, or reflect changing market strategies.

Main functions of slogans

• Enhance brand awareness – By repeating key messages, slogans make the brand more familiar.
• Support or modify brand image – They can emphasise values or reposition the brand in consumers' minds.
• Prime purchasing behaviour – Increased familiarity often leads to greater liking, encouraging buys through positive associations.

Effective slogans are stored in long-term memory – the part of memory that holds information indefinitely – making them easily retrievable during shopping decisions.

Types of slogans

Slogans vary in style to achieve different effects, often using creativity to boost memorability.

Common types of slogans:

Key research: Kohli et al. (2007) on slogan guidelines

Aim

To develop guidelines for creating effective advertising slogans based on academic and business literature.

Procedure

The researchers conducted a literature review, searching academic and business journals for articles on slogan design. They then summarised and evaluated the findings to propose guidelines.

Results

Key guidelines for slogan creation:

• Keep your eye on the horizon – Use timeless language to avoid dated references.
• Every slogan is a brand positioning tool – Highlight the unique selling point (USP), which is the brand's main advantage over competitors.
• Link the slogan to the brand – Feature it prominently on packaging and in ads.
• Please repeat that – Use repetition across campaigns to aid memory.
• Jingle, jangle – Incorporate music for catchiness, but ensure it doesn't overshadow the message.
• Use slogans at the outset – Introduce them early in a product's life to build identity.
• It's OK to be creative – Employ complex or ambiguous phrasing to encourage deeper thinking and better recall.

Conclusions

Following these guidelines can produce slogans that are memorable, align with brand perceptions, and emphasise differences from competitors.

Evaluation of the research

Both Fischer et al. (1991) and Kohli et al. (2007) offer valuable insights, but they have strengths and limitations.

Strengths

• Validity – Kohli et al. analysed real-world slogans from brands like BMW and Nike, making findings practical. Fischer et al. used an age-appropriate picture-matching task, reducing influences from undeveloped language or reading skills.
• Reliability – Fischer et al.'s standardised procedure ensured consistent measurement of logo recognition.

Limitations

• Temporal validity – Some slogans in Kohli et al. date back to the 1960s, so advice may not apply to today's digital advertising landscape.
• Objectivity – Fischer et. al's research was funded by Doctors Ought to Care and the American Cancer Society, potentially introducing bias in interpreting results related to cigarette advertising.

Issues and debates in brand research

Research on brands raises broader psychological and ethical questions.

Use of children in research

Studies like Fischer et al. (1991) involve young children, who are highly sensitive to adult cues. This could affect their responses, potentially lowering the validity of findings on natural recognition.

Determinism versus free will

Brand research often implies determinism – the idea that exposure to logos and slogans inevitably shapes behaviour, such as leading to unhealthy choices like smoking. However, individuals exercise free will, choosing whether to act on these influences, for example by quitting smoking or avoiding gambling.

Application to everyday life

Guidelines from studies like Kohli et al. help businesses craft slogans that build brand identity and boost sales.