Brand Awareness

Brand awareness links to how powerful a brand is in the memory of

consumers (Aaker, 1991; Aaker, 2009). Brand awareness defines as the
capability of consumers to identify that a brand is an element of a certain
product category. Ukpeborq and Ipogah (2008) had faith that brand
awareness can be determined as the degree of consumer familiarity
towards a brand that can be measured through brand recognition and
brand recall. By connecting the brand awareness with brand name, brand
name will appear in consumers mind (Keller, 1993). Brand recognition is
related to the capability of consumers to appropriately differentiate the
brand with their previous experiences while brand recall is related to the
ability of consumers to appropriately retrieve the brand that is kept in the
memory from the product category (Keller, 1993).

Brand awareness is the first and fundamental attribute of customer brand

equity; and sometimes it is underestimated component of brand equity
(Aaker, 1991; Aaker, 1986; Tong and Hawley, 2009). Brand awareness is
defined as the ability of a buyer to recognize or re call that brand is a
member of certain product category (Aaker, 1991). Keller (1993) found
that it composes of both brand recall and recognition. He further (Keller
1993, p3) explains that brand recognition relates to consumer ability to
confirm the prior exposure to the brand when given the brand as a cue.
However, brand recall is related to consumer ability to retrieve the
brand when given the product category, the needs fulfilled by the
category, or some other type of probe as a cue. (Keller, 1993, p3) For a
new or niche brand, the important issue is recognition; on the other hand,
for a well-known brand, recall and top-ofmind is more sensitive and
significant (Aaker, 1986). Beside, brand awareness affects customers to
make their decision, particularly for low-involvement packaged goods and
strengthens brand performance in the market (Huang and Sarigll,
2011). Hence, marketers should concentrate on brand management and
appropriate tactics to build and maintain customers brand awareness by
enhancing connection between a product and its customers, so as to
influence customer brand selection (Wang et al., 2008; Xu and Chen,
2010). In summary, brand awareness precedes building brand equity in
the consumer mind set (Huang and Sarigll, 2011); it affects customers
perception and attitudes, as well as it influences customers brand choice
and brand loyalty (Aaker, 1986).

Brand recognition is the basic first step in the task of brand

communication, whereby a firm communicates the products attributes
until a brand name is established with which to associate them. Brand
awareness can be a sign of quality and commitment, letting consumers
become familiar with a brand and helping them consider it at the point of
purchase (Aaker, 1991).
As the brand gets hold building greater awareness and recognition from
consumers, it will become a launch pad to boost its market share and
enhance its brand image further among existing and potential consumers
(Grewal, Krishnan, Baker & Borin, 1998).

Based on Aaker (1991), brand awareness can be a symbol of commitment

and quality which allowing consumers to become familiar with the brand
and assisting them consider it at the point of purchase.

Keller also stated that brand recognition is a very important factor in

forming brand communication strategies by firm to help communicate the
product attributes to targeted customers which will eventually allow them
to be associated with the products until the brand name gets recognized
in the eyes of consumers.

Brand awareness can be a sign of quality and commitment, letting

consumers become familiar with a brand and helping them consider it at
the point of purchase (Aaker, 1991).

Brand awareness can be created by increasing the familiarity of the brand through repeated
exposure (for brand recognition) and strong associations with the relevant product category and
consumptions indications (for brand recall).

Brand awareness, even at the recognition level, can provide the brand
with a sense of the familiar and a signal of substance and commitment. A
brand that is familiar is probably reliable and of reasonable quality.
Awareness at the recall level further affects choice by influencing what
brands get considered and selected as the brand must first enter the
consideration set before being on the purchase list.

Reference

Krishnan, H.S. (1996). Characteristics of memory associations: a consumer

based brand equity perspective. International Journal of Research in
Marketing. 13, 389-405.

Aaker, D. (1991). Managing brand equity. New York: Free Press.

Aaker,

Mackay, M. M. (2001). Evaluation of brand equity measures: further

empirical results. The Journal of Product and Brand Management 10(1):
38-51.
Marketing

Keller, K.L. (1992). Memory retrieval factors and advertising effectiveness.

In Advertising, Exposure, Memory and Choice. Mitchell A.A., ed. Hillsdale,
NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, in press.
Na, W. B., Marshall, R., & Keller, K.L. (1999). Measuring brand power:
Validating a model for optimising brand equity. The Journal of Product and
Brand Management 8(3): 170-184.

Grewal, D., Krishnan, R., Baker, J., & Borin, N. (1998). The effect of store
name, brand name and price discounts on consumers' evaluations and
purchase intentions. Journal of retailing, 74(3), 331-352.