In today’s competitive business environment, where countless brands are vying for consumer attention, establishing and maintaining a strong brand identity is essential. One of the key drivers of brand success is mental availability—the likelihood that a consumer will recognise and think of your brand when making a purchasing decision.
Understanding Mental Availability
Mental availability covers the perceptions and associations tied to your brand. Research from the Ad Council of Australia defines it as “the breadth and depth of perceptions of a brand.”
Simply put, it’s the mental hooks that help consumers recall your brand when shopping. The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute confirms that brands need both physical and mental availability to succeed.
Distinctive brand assets—like logos, colours, and characters—build these mental connections. They ensure your brand is easily remembered and chosen in competitive markets.
Analysing Your Brand’s Distinctiveness
At Fluid, we use the Fame/Uniqueness Grid from Jenni Romaniuk’s research at Ehrenberg-Bass. It assesses two key factors:
Fame: How well-known a brand asset is.
Uniqueness: How different it is from competitors.
This analysis shows how your brand’s assets compare in the market. It helps identify what’s memorable and what needs work. Our data-driven approach strengthens your assets to boost mental availability and market impact.
Crafting Distinctive Brand Assets
Creating strong brand assets is vital for a unique visual language. At Fluid, we blend creativity and strategy to design assets that:
Resonate with your audience
Are memorable and unique
Work consistently across all touchpoints
We start with territory boards to explore different themes. Then we refine ideas through sketches and mockups. This ensures every asset fits your brand identity while standing out in the market. Our process delivers visual cues that are easy for consumers to remember and connect with your brand.
Success Stories in Distinctive Brand Assets
Over the years, Fluid has created some of the most iconic distinctive brand assets for leading companies across various industries. Some examples include:
- The Great Northern Jumping Sailfish: This logo became synonymous with Great Northern’s call to adventure, perfectly aligning with the brand’s positioning as a beer for outdoor enthusiasts. Its distinctiveness makes it stand out in a saturated beer market.
- The Gen U Smile: A symbol of positivity and inclusivity, this brand asset became central to the GenU brand, symbolizing support and community. Its playful and approachable design has made it a memorable part of the brand’s identity.
- Better Beer Sunset: This distinctive visual element represents relaxation and enjoyment, aligning with Better Beer’s brand narrative of easy-going refreshment. The sunset imagery has become a central asset, making the brand easily recognisable across various marketing touchpoints.
Creating a Consistent Visual Language
Once the distinctive brand assets are crafted, it’s essential to apply them consistently across all brand touchpoints. Fluid specializes in ensuring that the visual language—from packaging and advertising to digital platforms—remains cohesive yet flexible enough to adapt to different contexts. Consistency helps reinforce the brand’s identity, making it easier for consumers to recognize and remember the brand in multiple environments.
The Fluid Process: From Research to Execution
- Distinctive Brand Asset Research: We begin by analysing the competitive landscape using the Fame/Uniqueness Grid to assess how well-known and differentiated your current assets are.
- Territory Boards and Concept Development: We create territory boards to explore various directions for your brand’s visual identity, ensuring alignment with your brand strategy.
- Crafting Distinctive Assets: Our creative team works through sketches, mockups, and iterations to develop visual elements that resonate with your target audience. We aim to create assets that stand the test of time and strengthen your brand’s mental availability.
- Testing and Refining: Fluid integrates consumer feedback to refine the assets, ensuring they are both memorable and aligned with market trends.
- Consistent Application: We ensure that the distinctive brand assets are consistently applied across all platforms, reinforcing the brand’s positioning and driving brand recognition.
At Fluid, we help brands turn distinctive assets into powerful mental connections. Let us help you create unique brand assets that drive recognition, loyalty, and business success.