Visibility: Bringing Brand Awareness and Brand Recall to the Next Level Experience
By Bea Lim, Managing Director
Visibility is all about creating brand awareness and brand recall. But the question is – how do we go about bringing it to the fore? For us, it was always about returning to the same mission that one of our co-founders, Michael Alan Hamlin, set forth all those years ago. It is to be able to bring a brand’s awareness to life, connect a brand to its audiences and make sure that there is a meaningful and positive impact. It is about creating and sustaining integrated strategies that are compelling, meaningful, and impactful that will have a lingering effect and the ability to touch lives.
That mission has not changed. But the landscape has. We have seen shifts in consumer behavior and the evolution of various tools and technology. Channels have also come and gone, and I am certain there are new ones being developed at this very point of time. But despite these many changes and shifts, we always go back to core– to bring a brand to life, we must create and sustain visibility.
WHAT IS VISIBILITY?
Now let’s expand the definition of visibility because the way brand awareness and brand recall are executed has changed through the times. We need to make it more understandable to our audience in the now. We expanded it by dividing it into several different parts.
First is visible reach. Are we reaching our audiences at the right place and at the right time? Are we creating brand awareness? We need to get them where they are at – whether it is in a live in-person conference or in front of their computers and mobile phones. Are we presenting the brand in such a way that is relevant and compelling for them at that very moment? The message comes alive to them front and center instead of needlessly shouting in the air waiting for someone to hear.
The second is visible engagement. Are our audiences interacting with the brand or are they walking away without engaging? It goes beyond getting a like, a share, a comment or attendance. The audience must be coming back to the brand continuously consuming the message and making palpable action.
The third is visible growth. Is there brand recall? It all boils down to making the community base grow and developing that two-way connection between the brand and the audience. When more people identify themselves with the brand in a meaningful way, whether it be through sales or subscription, or ambassadorship, that is when we get real and visible growth and brand recall.
Finally, all these things lead us to visible success. Are we reaching our KPI’s? Is the message getting across loud and clear? Are we positively impacting communities and audiences? Are they coming back? Are we affecting the bottom line? It answers the question of why pick you instead of the competitor. It means that there is a genuine connection with the audience and the message we are saying translates to something tangible, beneficial and measurable for the brand.
HOW DO YOU CREATE VISIBILITY
The next question is – how do we make this happen?
First, you need to know your audience. What captivates your audiences and makes them tick? We run the gamut of research to identify exactly what motivates brand recall. This is best done when we put ourselves in the shoes of our audience. When we think and feel like our target audience, we get to the core of what will get them to move from where they are to where we want them to be. We look for the truth in data, and build empathy instead of presuming what they need or want. The pandemic, for example, changed how we think and move about in the world, but it affected all of us differently and in ways to our meaningful only to a certain audience.
Then you get to that sweet spot of knowing what your audience needs and what your brand can provide. When you learn this valuable insight, you can push and prod in the direction you want your audience to go.
Finally, it is all about the message. What are you saying to your audience? George Lois, world-famous art director and the designer of over 90 covers for Esquire, says this about getting the message. “Solving a specific communications problem with an audacious blend of words and images that catch people’s eyes, penetrate their minds, warm their hearts and cause them to act.”
When you craft a compelling story – you can ignite imaginations and get people thinking – and from thinking to doing.
TIMES ARE CHANGING BUT OUR CORE REMAINS THE SAME
The channels may be evolving. There are hundreds of different new social media, applications, and artificial intelligence popping up every so often, but you must remain as grounded as ever. The need for human connection is as important as ever.
Visibility needs to be agile enough to be able to roll with the times. It is about going back to the very goal and not being afraid to pivot to make a change. For visibility to be front and center, communication needs to be there to sustain it.
Visibility is also about being able to show why you are there. We help our brands create and sustain visibility because we come in as partners, safeguarding the best interest of our clients and brands. We believe in their purpose, safeguarding the brand and reputation each and every time.
That is our quest. As we bring our brands recall and brand awareness, we make sure there is visible reach, visible engagement, visible growth, and finally, and most important, visible success. This is the TeamAsia way.
