Is Your Brand the One Customers Think Of When They're Ready to Buy?

For many businesses, brand awareness has long been the holy grail of marketing. The logic seems simple: if people know your brand exists, they'll buy from you when the time comes.

But what if that's only part of the story?

A growing body of research suggests that being known isn't enough. The brands that win are often the ones that come to mind at the exact moment a customer is ready to make a purchase.

That's where the concept of Mental Availability comes in.

Developed through research by the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, Mental Availability focuses on whether buyers think of a brand in relevant buying situations. 

Consumers rarely evaluate every brand they know. Instead, they typically consider a small shortlist of brands that immediately spring to mind when a need arises.

If your business isn't on that shortlist, you're unlikely to make the sale.

Recognising this challenge, consultancy SmilingCFO has launched a new online diagnostic tool designed to help marketing leaders assess whether their brand is positioned to be remembered when it matters most.

The Mental Availability Review takes less than five minutes to complete and provides a personalised report highlighting potential strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. The assessment focuses on three critical areas: Mapping, Activation and Measurement.

At the heart of Mental Availability are what marketers call Category Entry Points, the situations, triggers and needs that prompt customers to begin thinking about a purchase. Successful brands create strong mental links to these moments, increasing the likelihood they'll be considered when buying decisions are made.

According to SmilingCFO founder Martin Coyle, many businesses are still relying too heavily on traditional awareness metrics.

"Most brands are still judged heavily on awareness, but awareness alone doesn't mean someone will choose you," he explained to That's Business.

"The real question is whether people think of your brand in the situations that influence purchase."

It's a timely message. With marketing budgets under scrutiny and senior leaders demanding clearer evidence of return on investment, businesses are increasingly looking beyond vanity metrics and focusing on what genuinely drives growth.

The Mental Availability Review isn't intended to be a definitive audit. Instead, it acts as a starting point, helping marketing teams identify areas that may deserve closer investigation before committing significant resources to strategy development or market research.

For larger consumer brands especially, understanding whether customers think of you when they're ready to buy could be one of the most important questions your marketing team asks this year.

After all, if your brand doesn't come to mind at the crucial moment, your competitors probably will.

The Mental Availability Review is available at smilingcfo.co.uk alongside resources explaining how Mental Availability influences brand growth.

Why Brand Consistency Matters More Than You Think

What if the colour or logo is wrong? 

A while ago I was involved in a situation that perfectly illustrated why brand consistency is absolutely essential. 

A batch of printed garments had to be trashed. Not because the material was faulty or the printing poor, but because the person who ordered them wasn’t authorised to do so. 

Instead of using the approved logo and designs, they had created their own off-brand version. The result? Dozens of unusable items, wasted time, wasted money, and a branding headache.

It may sound like a small misstep, but it highlighted a bigger truth: when your branding isn’t consistent, your business suffers — whether you’re a sole trader or a major company.

What Brand Consistency Really Is

Brand consistency isn’t just about slapping the same logo on everything. It’s about ensuring that every element of your business reflects the same identity and values. That includes:

Your logo, colours, and fonts

The tone of your marketing materials

The way staff interact with customers

Even how your packaging or uniforms look

When all of these align, your brand becomes instantly recognisable and trustworthy.

Why It’s So Important

Trust and Recognition

Customers buy from brands they know. If your logo, colours, or messaging vary depending on who created them, people start to question whether you’re the same business they trusted last time.

Professionalism

Inconsistent branding makes you look disorganised. A polished, unified identity says that you care about details — and by extension, about your customers.

Efficiency and Cost

As the misprinted garments showed, ignoring brand guidelines can lead directly to wasted money. Clear, consistent branding prevents those mistakes.

Emotional Connection

People form bonds with brands over time. Familiarity makes them feel comfortable and loyal. If your branding keeps shifting, that bond weakens.

Consistency Online Is Just as Critical

It’s not just physical items like uniforms or printed materials that matter — your digital presence is often where customers see you first. Imagine visiting a company’s website that uses one logo, then heading to their Instagram and seeing a different colour scheme or style, and then getting an email written in a completely different tone.

That inconsistency creates confusion. Customers may even wonder if they’re dealing with the same business — or worse, suspect a scam. Online, where competition is fierce and attention spans short, one off-brand social post or mismatched graphic can cost you clicks, conversions, and credibility.

Consistency across your website, social channels, email marketing, and even digital ads ensures:

Customers instantly recognise you, no matter the platform.

Your messaging feels reliable and professional.

You stand out for the right reasons — as a brand with a clear identity, not a scattered one.

How to Protect Your Brand

Develop clear brand guidelines — covering colours, logos, fonts, and tone of voice.

Limit decision-making power to those authorised to approve designs.

Make official assets easy to find so staff don’t need to “make it up” themselves.

Educate your team on why sticking to the guidelines matters.

Audit your online presence regularly to make sure your profiles, images, and content stay on-brand.

Final Branding Thoughts

Consistency isn’t about stifling creativity — it’s about protecting the hard work that went into building your business identity. Whether you’re a start-up or a household name, your brand is one of your greatest assets.

And if you ever wonder whether the rules are worth enforcing, just think of those wasted garments: a stark reminder that brand consistency isn’t a “nice-to-have” — it’s non-negotiable.

Trolling Your Competitors on Social Media: A Bold Strategy or a Potential Branding Backfire?

In the fast, attention-hungry world of social media, brands are constantly looking for ways to stand out. 

One of the most controversial, and often entertaining, tactics? Trolling competitors. 

From cheeky digs to full-blown social media feuds, this approach can skyrocket a brand’s visibility and engage audiences like few other strategies can. But is it all just fun and games, or is there a fine line between bold and belligerent?

Let’s unpack why trolling your competitors can work—and why it can also go spectacularly wrong.

Why Trolling Works: The Upside of Brand Banter

1. It Grabs Attention

In a sea of safe, samey content, a sharp-witted jab at a rival can break through the noise. Brands like Wendy’s, Ryanair, and Aldi have all gained huge followings with no-nonsense clapbacks and quick-fire responses that show personality.

2. It Humanises Your Brand

People don’t connect with corporate jargon—they connect with personality. Trolling, when done with humour and relevance, can make a brand feel more like a mate than a megacorp. It’s playful, reactive, and speaks the language of the internet.

3. It Builds Community

Good-natured roasting invites audiences to join in the fun. Whether they’re picking sides in a spat or sharing memes, social media users love being part of a cultural moment—and that means more visibility, engagement, and ultimately, reach.

4. It Shows Confidence

A bold brand is a memorable brand. Trolling a competitor, when handled correctly, signals that you’re confident enough in your own offering to poke a little fun. That swagger can be magnetic, especially for younger, digital-native audiences.

The Risks: When Trolling Turns Toxic

1. It Can Alienate Potential Customers

Not everyone appreciates sarcasm or shade—especially if the humour seems mean-spirited or out of place. What’s funny to one audience may feel petty, aggressive, or even bullying to another. That’s a fast way to lose trust.

2. It Can Backfire Publicly

There’s always a chance that a clever troll attempt could fall flat or be perceived as tone-deaf. If a brand punches down, gets the facts wrong, or misjudges the mood, social media won’t hesitate to point it out—and the backlash can be swift.

3. It Can Escalate Into a PR Nightmare

Start a war of words with a competitor, and you might not like how they respond. Worse still, you might encourage your own followers to behave badly, leading to toxic comment sections and headlines you didn’t plan for.

4. It Distracts From Core Messaging

If your entire persona is built around taking jabs at competitors, you risk becoming known more for your sass than your service. Over time, that can dilute your brand's actual value proposition and confuse your message.

Striking the Balance: Strategic Snark vs Social Sabotage

So, should your brand troll its competitors? Possibly—but with caution.

Here’s how to do it right:

Punch Up, Not Down: Aim your humour at those on a similar level or larger, never at small businesses or individuals.

Stay On Brand: Make sure your tone aligns with your overall brand voice. If you’re usually calm and professional, a sudden snarky tweet might feel jarring.

Focus on Value: Use banter as a gateway to highlight your strengths. A joke is great—if it ultimately leads people back to why you’re the better choice.

Know When to Walk Away: Don’t get caught in endless tit-for-tat threads. Be memorable, not maniacal.

Conclusion: Risky Business, High Reward

Trolling competitors can be a powerful way to boost engagement, showcase brand personality, and spark conversation. But it’s not a strategy for the faint of heart—or for brands without a clear plan. Approach it with creativity, care, and a good dose of emotional intelligence, and you might just earn yourself a spot in the social media hall of fame.

Or, at the very least, a few thousand retweets.

To conclude, recent research into the phenomenon of Troll Marketing by Mathieu Beal and Ivan Guitart, both Professors of Marketing at emlyon business school, with colleague Charlotte Lecuyer from the  University of Auvergne has raised some interesting concerns.

“Brands are no longer just interacting with customers on social media; brands are finding themselves engaging with competitor content.” Says Professor Beal. 

“One of the most famous examples of this approach was in 2018, when Wendy’s fired off a witty, aggressive tweet mocking McDonald’s fresh beef campaign. 

"This resulted in over 180,000 likes, more than 22 times the amount of likes on the initial McDonalds post. 

"This viral moment highlights how brands can use humour to boost visibility and outperform even the biggest names in their industry.”

The researchers strongly recommends managers favour affiliative humour as the safest strategy and warn social media managers against aggressive humour in an inappropriate context, as it can easily turn into a bad buzz and turn against them.

The findings show trolling works best when targeting direct competitors in a way that feels playful rather than malicious. Brands with a strong market position can take greater risks, while smaller brands should focus on friendly, affiliative humour.

A British branding agency invents a revolutionary naming strategy that could change brand names forever

Fruiting League founders Paul Vinogradoff and Kershen Teo have worked with some of the largest companies on several continents, such as Telenor, GE and NTT DATA, and have also helped small start-ups and SMEs to thrive as brands built on clear strategic principles. Recently they developed a new naming approach to secure or rebuild brand success and market strength.

Paul says: "Language is like the sea. We all float on the surface, but the depths are very strange and powerful. That's because we don't even know exactly how old human languages are or how interconnected."

They explain, the breakthrough is to see the active principle in all languages is actually the deep meanings of basic sounds. A lot of yoga teachers, for example, ask students to say 'om' during the session: in Hindi this means universal healing power. 

In Latin omni means everything. The word womb contains om, the source, all-encompassing and sustaining. In Greek omphalos is the navel, marking the origin of life. This is one example of how a sound – om – can carry a huge heritage of meaning. All elementary language sounds do this. And when they come together as the name of a place, a person, a company or a brand, the deep resonances of their meaning will influence what they name.

"So a name is far more than a convenient 'handle', says Kershen. "Your company's name defines and shapes its culture and its future, for good or ill. It works all the time, outside and inside the organisation. Success may come because of it or in spite of it. It is a mistake to imagine that 'by any other name' your rose would smell as good. It might 'smell' better or worse: the name counts."

Case study

Fruiting League just rebranded a Norwegian hospital and emergency software maker previously called CSAM to Omda. In Norwegian this means if-then. "This foundational logic is a key aspect of computer programming, the basis of their offering", says Kershen Teo, Fruiting League’s creative director. 

Developing and launching Omda was stimulating and motivating for the entire company. Customer and investor reactions were highly positive when the name went public. And something unprecedented happened: potential acquiree firms began to call, expressing interest in being brought into the Omda fold. In many years of strategic growth by acquisition, this was an uplifting experience.

Spotting winners, saving under-performers

Fruiting League can evaluate and predict with high accuracy the potential and limitations of any brand name. This insight means they can score any company against their competitors and advise on remedial action if needed. 

Together Paul Vinogradoff and Kershen Teo have over 50 years experience in branding and have created many successful brands. Paul has studied eleven languages apart from his native English and Kershen Teo, from Singapore, speaks several Chinese and other Asian languages. This unusual profile is the basis of their naming insight, a revolutionary way to tap deep meanings in sounds to drive business to new heights.

Building a Brand Identity for Your Business: A Comprehensive Guide

In today's competitive business landscape, building a strong brand identity is crucial for success. Your brand identity is the essence of your business, and it's what sets you apart from your competitors. 

It's not just about having a catchy logo or a memorable tagline; it's about creating a lasting and meaningful connection with your target audience. In this comprehensive guide, we'll take you through the essential steps to build a powerful brand identity for your business.

Understand Your Business

Before you can start building a brand identity, you need to have a deep understanding of your business. What are your core values, mission, and vision? Who is your target audience, and what problem does your product or service solve for them? Conduct thorough, detailed market research to gain insights into your industry and competition. This knowledge will be the foundation of your brand identity.

Define Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is what sets your business apart from the competition. It's the reason why customers should choose your product or service over others. Identify what makes your business unique and how it can benefit your target audience. Your USP will guide your brand identity and messaging.

Create a Memorable Logo and Visual Elements

A memorable logo is one of the most recognisable aspects of your brand identity. It should be simple, unique, and reflect your brand's personality. Alongside the logo, choose a consistent colour palette and typography to use in all your marketing materials. These visual elements should evoke the emotions and values associated with your brand.

Craft Your Brand Voice and Messaging

Your brand voice and messaging should resonate with your target audience and align with your brand's values. Are you serious and professional, or fun and playful? Develop a tone and style that suit your business and the emotions you want to evoke in your customers. Consistency is key in maintaining a strong brand identity.

Develop a Brand Story

A compelling brand story can create an emotional connection with your customers. Share the journey of your business, the challenges you've overcome, and your mission. Customers are more likely to engage with brands that have a story to tell.

Build an Online Presence

In today's digital age, your online presence plays a vital role in shaping your brand identity. Create a professional website that reflects your brand's visual elements, and maintain active social media profiles. Use these platforms to share valuable content, engage with your audience, and reinforce your brand's messaging.

Consistency Is Key

Consistency is the linchpin of a strong brand identity. Ensure that your logo, visual elements, brand voice, and messaging are consistently applied across all marketing channels. This helps in building recognition and trust with your audience.

Monitor and Adapt

Building a brand identity is an ongoing process. Regularly monitor how your audience perceives your brand and gather feedback. Adapt and make necessary changes to ensure that your brand remains relevant and resonates with your customers.

Promote Your Brand

Promotion is essential to building brand awareness. Invest in marketing strategies, both online and offline, to reach your target audience. Leverage content marketing, social media, email marketing, and advertising to increase your brand's visibility.

Provide Exceptional Customer Service

Your brand identity extends beyond your marketing materials; it's also about the customer experience. Provide exceptional customer service to build trust and loyalty. Happy customers can become brand advocates, helping you spread the word about your business.

Building a brand identity is a multi-faceted process that requires careful planning and execution. Your brand identity is the face of your business, and it influences how customers perceive and interact with you. By understanding your business, defining your USP, and creating consistent visual and messaging elements, you can build a strong and lasting brand identity that sets you apart in a competitive marketplace. Remember that a strong brand identity is not static; it should evolve as your business grows and adapts to the changing market.

(Image courtesy of Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)