I'm just back from my favorite trade Show : Ispo in Munich. I thought it would be worth sharing a few views on brand awareness. And that's definitely the main trick for all brands attending a show that takes place in 14 football field sized halls. It's starting to seriously look like Logorama in there.
Brands attend to show who they are, what they make and get some business done. Visitors are here to see and understand the brands, compare the products they have to offer and also get some business done. When the show is over, actually not that many order have been placed and visitors go back home. The brands have to keep alive the momentum they created during show. When well done visitor will remember easily who he saw and desired in his shop next season until the moment he's ready to invest in the products and the brands. Brand awareness is that little magic that makes you say "Nutella" when hungry or "Petzl" when lost in the dark !!!
Brand awareness has many sides, rules are vague, so for sure brands have to be smart and creative to reach their goal. New brands shout out loud their presence, solid brands fight hard to keep their rank, old brands attempt to remodel their image, hungry brands try to eat their neighbor or at least to play music louder, small brands try to optimize their space and look bigger. Friendly brands team up with friendly people, invite everybody for lunch, and buy drinks for all. In general all the brands are offering you some kind of treat to make you well remember them !!! There is no way I'll forget about Julbo, meeting Glenn Plake on their booth is an event by itself, thumbs up for wearing such a well groomed mohawk for more that 20 years, every day... You see it's working, in this case by association of a brand and remarkable athletes.For a trip at the heart of brand awareness enjoy this slideshow and the comments of the shots. A personal illustration of a wide variety of ways to push (or not) brand awareness.
