Brand Distrust: Do the numbers mean everything?

Do fancy letters and the science behind advertising really matter?

Most consumers claim that they are persuaded most by the reports that they receive from their friends and family members. Truth be told, I would answer the question the same way. These numbers are displayed in the North American Technographics Online Benchmark Survey.

No one wants to choose a brand over the word of someone that they trust. But this forces me to beg the question, why do they trust them to make their purchasing decisions?

Mashable makes a noteworthy comment on the findings, concluding that “pull” advertising is much more important than ever in history. The traditional “push” advertising by mere force is losing its effectiveness.

A recommendation sounds like it is something consciously examined in a case by case evaluation. From firsthand experience, I don’t believe that is really how we are sold.

Persuasion takes place when someone is browsing and their friend comments “that looks so cute!” or “I really wanted to try that!” It is spur of the moment and inspired by the environment that we are in.

Advertising effectiveness is defined by Small Business Chron as:

-Reach
-Sales and Profits
-Brand Awareness

The truth is, as Brand Strategy Insider details, that as it becomes easier to monitor the growth of your brand, the inspiration for that growth is sometimes harder to map. (Just last week, Google launched a new app on Mobile Advertising results.)

Brand awareness plays a key role in that decision making roll than we think. What was your friend looking at? What were they considering? Are you seeking to be cutting edge and impress that person?

Return on Investment is unpredictable, and this current reliance upon recommendations makes it even more difficult to know if your advertising is doing its job or not. In a time where advertising is under speculation it calls companies to be even more loyal to their product/brand integrity. But it’s certainly not the end, and the old saying that knowledge is power is steady as ever.

To learn a little more on Ad Tracking, check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zU6cRnRBxk