Brand advertising without reminders yields no results

Many businesses are very enthusiastic when talking about their brand to others because, for them, the brand is like their intellectual child. Therefore, the person who understands the product best is not the consumer or an expert in the field, but the chairman of the board. If you discuss the brand with him, he certainly knows his product better than you do and understands where the differences between products lie.

In reality, many chairmen are aware of how their products differ from their competitors, but they struggle to turn these differences into competitive strategic advantages and to effectively employ tactics to enhance consumer awareness of these distinctions.

Regarding how to identify brand differences, Guo Zhi Feng, chairman of Chicilon Media, often refers to three key sources: First, from the business owner, as no one understands the product better than he does. Let the owner articulate why customers should choose them over others. Second, seek out top salespeople; through their interactions with a large customer base, they have likely pinpointed key aspects. Third, interview loyal customers, who not only use the product themselves but also recommend it to others. In the process of recommending the product, they convey the product’s core characteristics.

Using these three methods to discover brand differences is always the most optimal and effective approach. Once these points are identified, they should serve as the foundation for building strategies, tactics, and delineating the areas of strategic implementation.

The key to developing effective tactics is focus. However, battlefield commanders always face the pressure to take action; business is no different. Many companies do not engage in a major campaign but instead scatter their resources, leading to exhaustion. When significant market opportunities arise, they may no longer have the concentrated force needed to seize victory.

A unique aspect of marketing is that, to increase sales, one must utilize subtraction rather than addition. In the market, only leading brands have the authority to price and distribute goods. To compete with the leaders, you must reduce the number of products being advertised, select the most competitive products, identify their differentiating features, and form strategies that break through the market.

Only by concentrating your resources and breaking through limitations can you claim a leading position in the market. Simply put, breaking through limitations means repeatedly reminding consumers of the product’s unique characteristics. Continuous reminders and a clear focus on the concept provide an opportunity to penetrate customers' minds, especially ensuring consistent communication so that new generations of customers do not feel alienated.

If you do not advertise, others will. Competitors will overshadow you unless you change your model to ensure profitability even at a smaller scale; otherwise, continuous advertising to maintain scale becomes a necessary choice.

The forgetting curve developed by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus tells us that our rate of forgetting something is not linear; it starts with rapid forgetting, which then slows down over time. The implication of this theory is that any memory needs to be reinforced and repeated multiple times before it is forgotten. Continuous reminders are essential. Advertisers deeply understand this truth—reinforcing recall, imprinting the brand in consumers' minds before they forget, is vital for establishing a strong image; otherwise, they will forget you.

Whether in the era of TV advertising or the internet age, one key metric brands focus on in advertising is frequency. Typically, an advertising campaign will run on TV for four weeks and then pause for two weeks. Internet ads reach the same group of people at least three times. This effectively applies the theory of the memory curve to reinforce impressions before they fade.

According to Nielsen data, the average American is exposed to over 120 advertising brands. So how do you stand out in a sea of information? Advertising is a direct and effective means.

Even if impressions are repeated multiple times, if not reinforced over time, they will gradually fade from consumers' minds. Take the case of Michael Jordan, who was a king in the basketball world and an idol in the 1980s. It’s not an exaggeration to say Jordan is a familiar name. However, over 40 years later, how many people still remember him, the living basketball player? If you ask the younger generation, many only recognize Jordan as a sneaker brand, not knowing he was once a national icon and a basketball star. Thus, Jordan recognized the forgetting curve early on and transformed his name into a sports brand.

Similarly, had Yao Ming not participated in NBA games, his popularity would have certainly declined in the past two years. Over 60% of NBA stars go bankrupt within five years of retirement. While this is undoubtedly linked to their lifestyle and financial thinking, from another perspective, their declining fame rapidly reduces their commercial value.

Many entrepreneurs create differentiated products and engage in strategic activities like advertising or PR, yet they forget about the importance of “reminders,” leading to significant resource waste. After the initial consumer impression, minds can waver and fade until they are forgotten.

For instance, in the electronics industry, although it is relatively traditional, competition is fierce with brands like Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Toshiba, Hitachi, Sony, TCL, etc. Currently, LG leads in the mid-range TV segment. In fact, LG's TV production history may not be longer than that of the aforementioned brands, but why did it succeed economically against Panasonic?

Is it sales channels? Pricing? Manufacturing location?

None of these. At that time, LG faced a giant like Panasonic, and factors such as sales channels, pricing, and manufacturing location did not lead to its success.

The only method was to create awareness of differentiation. LG used the advertising slogan “Life’s Good” as a constant reminder, embedding the LG brand in the minds of Vietnamese consumers.

This is the power of “reminder advertising.” If LG hadn’t repeatedly advertised, even if their product was superior in differentiation, it would merely be a fleeting moment.

Many similar cases exist. Through continuous “reminders” of their unique differentiations, companies like Vinamilk, Abbott, Grab, Baemin, and VP Bank have achieved significant success. Advertising is the art of repetition. Only through artistic repetition can a brand truly penetrate people's minds.