What Is Brand Equity? Definition, Benefits, and How To Build It
One key element that establishes a brand’s worth is its brand equity. Through its brand equity, you may learn how consumers view a brand’s strength and value.
Because of this, maintaining substantial brand equity is crucial for long-term company success. The following details the meaning and practical methods for enhancing brand equity:
What is Brand Equity?
Brand equity describes a brand’s worth. The way consumers interact with a brand is one element that contributes to its equity.
Consumer perceptions and views of the brand will develop through time. Positive consumer perception of a brand will boost its equity. Also, there will be a greater likelihood of the brand winning the loyalty and trust of customers.
Marketing guru David Aacker defines brand equity as a collection of assets and liabilities that can increase or decrease the value of a brand’s goods and services. These include customer loyalty, brand visibility, and associations.
Aacker lists five primary components of brand equity:
- Brand Allegiance
Customers who firmly believe in a brand’s value proposition will stick with it and avoid purchasing from competitors.
Strong brand loyalty allows the company to expand continuously and steadily and may increase its market share.
- Awareness of Brands
Consumer awareness of a brand is referred to as this component of brand equity. Customers are more likely to think about a brand while searching for a product with high equity.
Consider the brand “Blue Band,” which comes to mind when considering margarine goods.
- The perception of quality
Furthermore, brands with solid equity enjoy a positive reputation for their high-quality products. Quality is an element in brand equity that consumers value more than product features. Customers only care if it costs less as long as the quality is worthwhile.
- Brand Associations
The element of brand association includes everything associated with the brand, good or bad. This can encompass a product’s emotional, functional, and social advantages.
- Other Exclusive Resources
Brand equity includes trademarks, patents, and trading partners. These exclusive resources guarantee that other brands cannot compete by adopting confusingly similar identities.
Advantages of Brand Equity
Brand equity is one of the most important things your company requires if you want to flourish. The following are brand equity’s primary advantages:
1. Making It in a Cutthroat Market
Apple and Samsung are two examples of brands with substantial brand equity that compete with other low-cost device brands. This suggests that both brands have significant equity that shields them from shifting market conditions.
Strong brand equity ensures that your firm remains steady no matter how many competitors you have, how trends shift, or what your customers’ demands are.
2. Elasticity at Low Prices
High-equity brands command premium rates due to their power and worth. Despite this, customers do not go to other brands that offer lower pricing; instead, they stay faithful. This indicates that the brand can be profitable for the company and has a low price elasticity.
3. Increasing Market Part
Because they have great faith in the brand, consumers are more inclined to choose products from brands with high equity. This aids in building a devoted clientele for the company, making gaining market share more attainable.
4. Expanding the Range of Products
Since brand equity indicates a brand’s worth, expanding product lines doesn’t pose a problem for high-equity brands. One company that has numerous successful product lines is Apple. This is due to the brand’s favorable connotations, which increase client loyalty.
5. Getting in Touch with Stakeholders Easily
High-equity brands have easier access to stakeholders, including suppliers, employees, investors, and customers. What’s more, these stakeholders are excellent and skilled.
Stakeholders are more likely to trust the brand because of its positive values.
Strategies for Increasing Brand Equity
You now realize how crucial brand equity is to the advancement of businesses. You can read about Application Methods and Examples of Brand Equity Models and take the following actions to enhance brand equity:
1. Create a logo
It is crucial to prioritize the development of your brand’s identity over optimizing its value development. This guarantees that customers will find your brand distinct, eye-catching, and simple to recall.
Match the brand identity to the goods and services offered by the company. Give details about your company’s goal, mission, and unique selling propositions. Mention the advantages your product has over comparable offerings from rival companies.
2. Enhance the Client Experience
It is imperative to guarantee that clients enjoy a seamless experience throughout the transaction. Offering a free trial is one way to maximize consumer experience regarding brand equity. You can then determine which areas you want to work.
3. Highlight Brand Core Values
Emphasize your brand’s values to generate urgency and draw in the target consumer. Demonstrate that your company adheres to the same values as your intended clientele.
For instance, demonstrate that your company solely purchases raw materials from nearby farms. Customers who value empowerment may find this feature appealing.
4. Create the Optimal Marketing Plan
Create the most excellent marketing plan to sell your goods and persuade customers that your company is the best. Customize your marketing strategy to your business niche for maximum effectiveness.
You need to promote your goods on social media if you are trying to reach a younger audience. You can more readily contact possible clients in this manner.
5. Establish Relationships Regularly
Consistent networking development requires face-to-face interactions with stakeholders. Additionally, host events and have Q&A sessions on social media to cultivate strong ties with your customers.
Practical Case Studies on Brand Equity
After learning about brand equity, its components, advantages, and ways to enhance it, let’s examine some effective brand equity examples.
‘Aqua’ is one instance of brand equity. Since Aqua is a mineral water brand, “bottled mineral water” is frequently used interchangeably. In casual talks, this happens all the time.
People frequently think of Aqua when talking about mineral water, even if they did not purchase that brand. This incident suggests that ‘Aqua’ has tremendous brand value and is significantly impacting society.”