Most marketers prioritise their brand reputation and consider how they can dial up certain characteristics to enhance the appeal and strength of their brand. This approach appears sensible, but the problem is whether it makes any difference or creates growth.

There are a couple of things to note

1. Brand image is difficult to change and can take years; the results and image shifts can be indiscernible. Small image shifts can sometimes help, but even then, you need to be sure the image you are aiming for will work to drive sales, etc. Part of the problem is that any increase in strength on one dimension can cause a weakness in another. For example, raising value perceptions can reduce quality or vice versa. Being popular might mean your brand is less exclusive or premium, etc. As they say in physics, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
2. Performance metrics such as the brand funnel - awareness, consideration, usage, satisfaction and loyalty - are all useful metrics, but they are only measurements that do not (necessarily) lead to growth. For example, increasing brand awareness might increase the number of customers, but this rise doesn’t mean you will grow awareness or sales in the future. Essentially, most metrics like brand awareness only tell you how many people you have reached – rather than what will help you grow.

What you need are metrics that have a predictive quality - i.e., if you possess that quality, it will mean that your brand is destined for growth (if you lack this quality, you will be destined to struggle). The metric is called the Brand Velocity Score*™. It’s part of the brand momentum model and is essentially the perception or notion of brand growth or decline in the mind of the customer. This measurement not only correlates with growth, it predicts growth – something very few metrics can do.

Tony is launching his groundbreaking book this summer to reveal the secrets to brand momentum: what it is, how to measure it, and how to weave it into your brand strategies and plans. He will also unveil some key aspects of brand momentum at MadFest in London on July 2nd.

*Brand Velocity Score™ is a Trademark of Tony Lewis and Vision X Consulting.