Brand Association : Meaning, Importance, Types and Barriers

Brand association is a key marketing concept where consumers form mental links between a brand and specific attributes. It involves connecting a brand with emotions, values, or experiences to create a unique identity. This process significantly influences consumer perceptions and purchasing decisions. Establishing positive brand associations is vital for brand loyalty, differentiation, and overall success in the market. In this article, we’ll explore the importance, types, examples, development, and strategies for brand association.

Geeky Takeaways:

• Brand association shapes consumers’ mental images of a particular brand by associating it with attributes or characteristics.
• Positive brand associations, such as trust or innovation, have a major impact on customer preferences and brand loyalty.
• The significance of brand association is in standing out, establishing trust, molding views, and forming emotional relationships with customers.
• Product attributes, emotional connections, cultural symbols, user images, and brand personality are all examples of brand associations.
• Case studies such as Nike, Apple, Coca-Cola, and Disney show how brands strategically build associations to convey specific ideas and values.

What is Brand Association?

Brand association refers to the connections consumers make between a brand and certain qualities, feelings, or characteristics. It’s like the mental image people have when they think about a particular brand. When you hear the name of a brand, your mind links it to specific things—maybe quality, trust, or a certain lifestyle. These connections can be intentional, like when a brand shows itself as innovative or reliable, or they can develop naturally through customer experiences. Brand association is crucial because it shapes how we see and feel about a brand, influencing our choices when we buy things. Positive associations, like thinking a brand is reliable or cool, make us more likely to stick with that brand and recommend it to others.

Importance of Brand Association

Brand association is incredibly important for businesses, influencing how consumers perceive and choose one brand over another. Here are some key reasons why brand association matters:

1. Getting Noticed and Standing Out: Brand association helps your brand get noticed. When people can link specific qualities or characteristics with your brand, it becomes easy to recognize. This is especially important in a market where there are many options. Having unique associations makes your brand stand out from the competition.

2. Building Trust and Keeping Customers: Positive brand associations build trust. When people consistently connect your brand with good experiences, reliability, or quality, they are more likely to trust your products or services. Trust is the key to keeping customers. Those who trust a brand are not only likely to buy again but also tell others about it.

3. Shaping How People See Your Brand: Brand association influences how people see your brand. If your brand is linked with innovation, caring for the environment, or affordability, it affects what people think. These opinions influence what they choose to buy. Understanding and managing these associations are really important for creating a good image.

4. Being Ahead of the Competition: Strong brand associations give you an advantage. In a market where products or services seem similar, a brand with clear and good associations is more likely to be chosen. People prefer a brand that they link with positive things, even if there are similar options.

5. Creating Emotional Bonds: Brand association is not just about features; it’s about emotions. When people emotionally connect with a brand, it becomes more than just a product—it becomes a part of their lifestyle. Emotional connections make people stick with a brand for a long time because they feel a deeper attachment.

Brand Association Types

1. Product Attributes: This is all about what makes the product unique. If you think of a phone brand, for example, it could be about how long the battery lasts or how cool the new features are. Basically, it’s linking the brand to the special stuff the product can do or has.

2. Emotional Associations: Brands want you to feel something when you think about them. Like, when you think of a certain fast-food brand, they might want you to feel happy or excited. So, connecting a brand with certain emotions is a way to make you feel a certain way when you use or talk about that brand.

3. Cultural Symbols: This is like connecting a brand to things that are important in a particular culture. Let’s say a brand uses a symbol that people in a certain country really love. That connection helps the brand become part of the culture and feel familiar to people there.

4. User Imagery: Imagine a brand showing pictures of people who use their products. It creates an image in your mind about who the typical user of that brand is. It’s like saying, “Hey, people like you use our stuff, so you should too.” This association is about the kind of people associated with a brand.

5. Brand Personality: Brands want you to think of them almost like a person. If a brand is always friendly and helpful in their messages, they’re trying to have a personality of being a good friend. On the other hand, some brands want to be seen as sophisticated or stylish. Assigning human-like traits helps people connect with the brand on a personal level.

Examples of Brand Association

Some real-life examples to understand how brand association works:

1. Nike: Think about Nike, and you probably think sports and pushing your limits. The swoosh logo and the “Just Do It” tagline make you associate Nike with performance and empowerment. When you wear Nike, it feels like you’re ready to take on challenges and be your best self.

2. Apple: Apple is known for making sleek and cool gadgets. Whether it’s an iPhone, MacBook, or Apple Watch, the design is top-notch. They want you to see their products as innovative and stylish. The whole experience, from opening the box to using their devices, is designed to make you feel like you’re part of something cutting-edge. It’s not just a phone; it’s a lifestyle.

3. Coca-Cola: Imagine a Coca-Cola ad. You see happy people, right? Coca-Cola has linked itself to feelings of happiness, refreshment, and sharing moments. The red can and the iconic logo are like a symbol for good times. When you have a Coke, it’s not just a drink; it’s a small celebration, a moment of joy. They’ve built that association over years.

4. Disney: Disney is all about magic and family fun. When you think of Disney, you think of animated characters, fairy tales, and theme parks. They’ve associated themselves with creating magical experiences for families. Disney is not just about entertainment; it’s about making memories, spending time with family, and embracing wholesome values.

In these examples, you can see how each brand carefully shapes its associations. Nike is about pushing boundaries, Apple is about innovation and style, Coca-Cola is about joy and refreshment, and Disney is about magic and family.

How are Brand Associations Developed?

Building brand associations is like telling a story about a brand.

1. Getting the Message Out: Brands use ads, social media, and other ways to talk about themselves. These messages focus on what makes the brand special – it could be how reliable a product is, how much fun it is to use, or how it improves your life. These messages lay the groundwork for brand associations.

2. Real Experiences: Ever had a great time with a product or service? That adds to what you think about the brand. When a brand lives up to its promises, it creates good associations. It might be the smooth working of a gadget or the delicious taste of a drink. Positive experiences stick with us and shape our view of the brand.

3. What People Say: What others say about a brand matters. Positive reviews and recommendations from friends, family, or online influencers add to brand associations. When people hear good things about a brand, it builds a positive image. But, if there’s negative talk, it can hurt what people think about the brand. So, delivering a great product or service is crucial.

4. Looks Matter: Logos, colors, and other visual things are important. When you see a logo, like the golden arches, you immediately think of a certain fast-food brand. These visual things get linked to the brand in your mind. Having a consistent and memorable look helps build strong brand associations.

5. Fit with Culture: Brands often connect with what’s happening in culture. If a brand ties itself to something people find cool or important, it can create associations that hit home. This might mean using popular influencers, tying into current events, or aligning with cultural values. Being in tune with culture helps stay in people’s minds.

So, building brand associations happens through the messages a brand sends, the experiences it gives, what people say about it, how it looks, and how it fits into what’s happening in culture. It’s about telling a story about the brand that people can connect with and remember.

Barriers to Positive Brand Association

1. Bad Experiences: Ever buy something and it just doesn’t work right? Or maybe the customer service is terrible? Yeah, that kind of stuff stays with us. Bad experiences make it hard for us to think good things about a brand. It’s like a stain that’s tough to get rid of.

2. Mixed-Up Messages: Imagine if a brand says one thing today and something totally different tomorrow. That’s confusing, right? If a brand keeps changing what it stands for or what it offers, it messes with our heads. It makes it tough for us to have a clear and positive picture of that brand.

3. Tough Competition: Think about being in a race where everyone is running fast. It’s hard to stand out, right? In a market full of similar brands, it’s tough for one brand to be seen as special. The competition is so fierce that it becomes a hurdle for a brand to create unique positive associations.

4. Dealing with Problems: Sometimes, things go wrong – a product gets recalled, or there’s some kind of big mess. How a brand handles these issues matters a lot. If they handle it poorly or seem careless, it can really hurt the good image they’ve built. So, managing problems well is important to keep those positive associations intact.

So, these things are like roadblocks for brands trying to have positive associations. Bad experiences, mixed messages, tough competition, and not dealing with problems well can all stop us from thinking good things about a brand. For a brand to do well, it has to navigate these challenges and make sure the path to positive associations is clear.

How to Build Positive Brand Association?

1. Show What’s Great: Brands need to make it clear what makes them awesome. Whether it’s having top-quality stuff, being reliable, or just a lot of fun – they need to talk about it. Ads, social media, and all that jazz help get the word out.

2. Prove It with Actions: It’s not enough to just talk; they need to prove it’s true. If they say they have amazing customer service, they need to deliver on that promise every time. Doing what they say builds trust and makes people think positively about the brand.

3. Keep Things Steady: Imagine a friend who’s one way today and totally different tomorrow – it’s confusing. Brands need to be steady in what they say. If they keep changing who they are, it confuses people. Being steady helps in building a clear and positive image.

4. Know the People: To make people feel good about the brand, they need to understand who they’re talking to. What matters to the customers? Tailoring messages to match what people care about helps in making connections and positive feelings.

5. Make Good Moments: Brands need to focus on making people happy. Whether it’s using a product easily, having a good chat with customer service, or just opening a package with a smile – good moments stick with people. These moments shape what people think about the brand.

6. Build Friendships: Brands should aim for more than just selling stuff; they should build friendships. Listening to what customers say, being a part of social media talks, and making customers feel important add up to positive thoughts about the brand. Brands become more than just things to buy; they become part of a customer’s story.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why is brand association important for a business?

Answer:

Brand association is vital because it helps people recognize and remember a brand. It’s like creating a personality for the brand that people can relate to, making them more likely to choose and stick with it.

2. Can a brand change its associations over time?

Answer:

Yes, brands can change their associations. It takes time and consistent effort, but with the right strategies and messaging, a brand can shift how people perceive it.

3. How long does it take to build strong brand associations?

Answer:

Building strong brand associations is not an overnight thing. It takes time, possibly years, of consistently delivering good experiences and messages that resonate with the target audience.

4. Can negative brand associations be overcome?

Answer:

Yes, negative associations can be overcome. It requires addressing the issues that caused the negativity, improving the brand’s image, and consistently delivering positive experiences.

5. What role does customer feedback play in shaping brand associations?

Answer:

Customer feedback is crucial. It helps brands understand what customers like or dislike, allowing them to adjust their strategies to better align with customer expectations and build positive associations.

7. Is it possible for a brand to have multiple associations?

Answer:

Absolutely. A brand can have various associations, but it’s important to ensure that they align cohesively with the overall brand identity. Having too many conflicting associations can confuse customers.