Better Brand Health

jenni romaniuk, better brand health, measures and metrics for a how brands grow world.

when a brand is poorly managed, it can lead to a host of problems that extend far beyond the marketing department.

customers become confused, loyal buyers drift away, and the company's reputation takes a hit.

in extreme cases, a once-thriving business can find itself struggling to stay afloat, all because of a failure to prioritize brand health.

but what if there was a way to diagnose these issues early and prescribe targeted solutions?

what if you could transform your brand from a liability into a valuable asset?

in this chapter, you'll discover the key insights from jenni romaniuk's extensive brand research to help you do just that.

from understanding your brand's vital signs to creating memorable assets and developing a long-term plan for success, you'll learn how to give your brand the checkup it needs to thrive in today's competitive landscape.

so if you're ready to take your brand's health into your own hands, let's get started.

a checkup for your brand in today's lightning-fast, always-on business world, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day demands of running a company.

but amidst the chaos, there's one aspect of your business that you can't afford to neglect – your brand health.

just like a person's physical well-being, your brand health is a critical indicator of your brand's overall performance and long-term success.

so what exactly is brand health?

according to marketing expert jenni romaniuk, brand health is a measure of how well your brand is performing in the mind of consumers.

it encompasses a range of factors, from your brand's awareness and recognition to its perceived quality and customer loyalty.

when your brand is healthy, it means that consumers know who you are, what you stand for, and why they should choose you over your competitors.

and the benefits don't stop there.

a healthy brand is more likely to attract new customers and retain existing ones.

and when people have a positive perception of your brand, they're more likely to try your products or services, recommend them to others, and stick with you for the long haul.

this positivity can lead to increased sales, higher profits, and a more stable market position.

on the other hand, when your brand health falters, it can have serious consequences for your business.

customers may become confused about what your brand represents or start to associate your brand with negative experiences or attributes.

this can lead to a decline in sales, a loss of market share, and even long-term damage to your company reputation.

so how can you tell if your brand is healthy or in need of a checkup?

romaniuk suggests starting by assessing your brand's vital signs.

just like a doctor checks a patient's pulse, blood pressure, and temperature to gauge their physical health, you can assess your brand awareness, consideration, and loyalty to get a sense of its overall well-being.

one way to measure your brand awareness is through surveys or tracking studies.

these tools can help you understand how many people are familiar with your brand and how easily they can recall your brand when prompted.

if your brand awareness is low, it may be a sign that you need to invest more in marketing and advertising to get your brand in front of potential customers.

another key vital sign is brand consideration.

this measures how likely people are to consider your brand when making a purchase decision.

if your brand consideration is low, it may be a sign that people don't see your brand as relevant or valuable to their needs.

in this case, you may need to work on positioning your brand more effectively or highlighting the unique benefits that you offer.

finally, brand loyalty is a critical indicator of your brand's health over time.

this measures how likely people are to continue choosing your brand over others, even in the face of competition or change.

if your brand loyalty is low, it may be a sign that you need to work on building stronger relationships with your customers and creating a more engaging brand experience.

deeper diagnostics now that you know the importance of brand health and the key vital signs to watch out for, let's dive deeper into how to diagnose potential issues.

just like a doctor runs tests to identify the root cause of a patient's symptoms, there are several tools and techniques you can use to assess your brand's vital signs and pinpoint areas for improvement.

one of the most important diagnostic tools is brand tracking.

this involves regularly surveying consumers to measure their awareness, perceptions, and attitudes toward your brand over time.

by monitoring these metrics on an ongoing basis, you can identify trends and changes in your brand's health and take action before small issues become big problems.

when conducting brand tracking, romanik recommends focusing on a few key questions.

first, ask consumers if they've heard of your brand before.

this will give you a sense of your brand's overall awareness levels.

next, ask them what comes to mind when they think of your brand.

this will help you understand the associations and perceptions that people have of your brand and whether they align with your desired brand image.

another important question to ask is how likely people are to consider your brand when making a purchase.

now, this will give you a sense of your brand's relevance and value to potential customers.

if your brand consideration scores are low, it may be a sign that you need to work on positioning your brand more effectively and highlighting the unique benefits that you offer.

in addition to brand tracking, several other diagnostic tools can help you assess your brand's vital signs, and one of these is social media listening.

by monitoring mentions of your brand on social media platforms, you can get a sense of how people are talking about your brand in real time, and this can help you identify potential issues or opportunities and respond quickly to any negative sentiment or feedback.

another valuable diagnostic tool is customer feedback.

by regularly soliciting feedback from your customers through surveys, reviews, or other channels, you can get a sense of how well your brand is meeting their needs and expectations.

this can help you identify areas where you may need to improve your products, services, or overall brand experience.

when diagnosing your brand's vital signs, romanek also emphasizes the importance of looking at your brand in context.

this means comparing your brand's performance to that of your competitors, as well as to industry benchmarks and best practices.

by understanding how your brand stacks up against others, you can identify areas where you may need to differentiate or improve in order to stand out.

finally, it's important to remember that diagnosing your brand's vital signs is just the first step in improving your brand's health.

once you've identified potential issues or opportunities, you'll need to develop a plan of action to address them.

this may involve making changes to your marketing strategy, updating your brand messaging or positioning, or investing in new products or services to meet the needs of your customers better.

cultivate brand memory when it comes to building a healthy brand, one of the most important factors to consider is brand memory.

and according to romanek's research, brand memory refers to how consumers store and retrieve information about your brand in their minds.

it's the mental shortcuts and associations that people use to remember your brand, and it can have a big impact on their purchase decisions and loyalty.

so what does the science of brand memory say about how to build a memorable brand?

well, one of the key insights is that brand memory isn't just about awareness or recognition.

it's also about the specific associations and attributes that people link to your brand in their minds.

when someone thinks of coca-cola, for instance, they might associate the brand with happiness and refreshment and classic americana.

these associations are not just the result of coca-cola's advertising campaigns, but also the unique sensory cues and experiences that people have had with the brand over time, like the distinctive shape of the bottle or the sound of the fizz when you open up a can.

to build strong brand memory, brand managers should focus on creating distinctive brand assets that can help anchor your brand in people's minds.

these assets can include things like your logo, packaging, color scheme, or even a specific sound or jingle that people associate with your brand.

the key is to make these assets as unique and memorable as possible so that they stand out in a crowded market and are easy for people to recognize and recall.

this can involve using bold colors, unusual shapes or fonts, or even incorporating sensory elements like scent or texture into your packaging or product design.

another important aspect of building brand memory is consistency.

the more consistently you use your brand assets across all touchpoints and channels, the easier it will be for people to remember and recognize your brand.

this means using the same logo, colors, and messaging across your website, social media, advertising, and even in-store displays or product packaging.

and don't underestimate the importance of storytelling in building brand memory.

by creating a compelling brand narrative that resonates with your target audience, you can help people form emotional connections and associations that go beyond just your products or services.

nike's just do it slogan and associated advertising campaigns, for instance, have helped to create a powerful brand story around the idea of personal achievement and overcoming obstacles.

by consistently reinforcing this narrative across all touchpoints, nike has built a strong brand memory that goes beyond just athletic apparel and shoes.

finally, brand managers should focus on creating memorable brand experiences that engage multiple senses and create lasting impressions in people's minds.

this can involve things like immersive pop-up shops, interactive digital experiences, or even branded events or sponsorships that allow people to engage with your brand in a more meaningful way.

so, if you're a brand manager looking to build better brand memory, start by focusing on your brand assets, consistency, storytelling, and experience design.

by creating a unique and memorable brand identity that resonates with your target audience, you can help ensure that your brand stays top of mind and drives long-term growth and success.

key habits for brand health just like maintaining good personal health requires ongoing effort and commitment, building a sustaining and healthy brand is a long-term endeavor.

it's not enough to just simply diagnose your brand's vital signs or create memorable brand assets.

you need to have a plan in place for ongoing brand management and growth.

successful brands are those that adapt and evolve while still maintaining their core identity and values.

this means being willing to experiment with new ideas and approaches while also staying true to what makes your brand unique and valuable to your customers.

for example, consider the evolution of apple's brand over the last few decades.

while the company has consistently maintained its focus on innovation, design, and user experience, it's also been willing to take risks to try new things.

from the introduction of the ipod and itunes decades ago to the launch of the iphone and even more recently, the apple watch.

by consistently pushing the boundaries of what's possible and staying ahead of the curve in terms of technology and consumer trends, apple has been able to maintain its position as one of the most valuable and iconic brands in the world.

so what can brand managers learn from this example?

well, first and foremost, it's important to have a clear understanding of your brand's core values and attributes, the things that make your brand unique and valuable to your customers.

these should serve as the foundation for all of your branding and marketing efforts and should be consistently reinforced across all touchpoints and channels.

at the same time, it's important to be open to new ideas and approaches that can help keep your brand fresh and relevant.

this might involve experimenting with new marketing channels or tactics, launching new products or services that align with your brand values, or even partnering with other brands or influencers to reach new audiences.

another key aspect of long-term brand health is building and maintaining strong relationships with your customers.

this means going beyond just providing great products or services and actually engaging with your customers on a more personal and emotional level.

one way to do this is through personalized marketing and communication efforts that speak directly to your customers' needs and preferences.

this might involve using data and analytics to segment your audience and tailor your messaging and offers accordingly, or creating custom content and experiences that resonate with specific customer groups.

another effective strategy is to create opportunities for your customers to engage with your brand in meaningful ways, whether that's through social media, customer feedback channels, or even in-person events and experiences.

by creating a sense of community and belonging around your brand, you can foster long-term loyalty and advocacy that can help drive ongoing growth and success.

ultimately, the key to long-term brand health is to stay focused on your core values and customer needs, while also being willing to adapt and evolve.

by creating a strong brand identity, consistently delivering great experiences, and building lasting relationships with your customers, you can help ensure that your brand remains healthy and vibrant for years to come.

the main takeaway of this chapter to better brand health by jenny romanik is that brand health is vital to your company's long-term success, so it's important to regularly assess your brand's vital signs, including awareness, consideration, and loyalty.

use diagnostic tools like brand tracking, social media listening, and customer feedback to identify areas for improvement and focus on creating distinctive brand assets, maintaining consistency, and crafting compelling brand stories to build strong brand memory.

cultivate long-term brand health by staying true to your core values while adapting to new ideas and approaches.

build your strong customer relationships through personalized marketing and meaningful engagement opportunities.

by developing a comprehensive brand health plan, you can ensure it remains vibrant, memorable, and successful for years to come.

thanks so much for listening.

see you in the next chapter.