Brand awareness isn’t dead—it just takes longer to earn

Hi there,

And good morning from Ireland!

This was the suggestion from a talented CEO I work with. But here’s the reality: their product solves a very specific, painful problem. What they really need isn’t brand awareness — it’s product awareness. The brand will follow.

In a world where brand awareness doesn’t work the way it used to, the quicker route to traction often starts by clearly articulating the problem you solve, and then identifying exactly who needs to hear it.

The Shift in Brand Saliency

Brand saliency has traditionally been a cornerstone of marketing strategy. You aim to be the easy choice—lodged in memory before someone even searches, and resilient enough to remain on the shortlist afterward.

But here’s the critical shift:

People no longer defer to brands as they once did. They scroll, compare, and cross-check. Your product now passes through a gauntlet of AI-generated summaries, Reddit discussions, TikTok demos, and detailed peer reviews—all before someone clicks “Order” or “Book Demo.”

Is the Era of the Brand Dead?

The job brand awareness traditionally performed — providing a shortcut to trust — has been reassigned. Platforms and peer reviews now fulfill this role more effectively.

However, that doesn’t render brands obsolete. It simply means brand-building must align with the modern decision-making journey rather than fight against it.

Trust in brands — and therefore products — is no longer inherited. It’s assembled, earned, and consistently validated.

Professor Scott Galloway puts it bluntly:

In other words, customers no longer begin their buying journey with brand awareness. But if you've invested strategically, you'll consistently show up exactly when it counts—familiar, easily discoverable, and trustworthy.

The Opportunity

Brands that secure a spot in the customer's decision-making stack — through exceptional product experience, unwavering consistency, and constant visibility — maintain that position.

Instead of just asking, “Are we top of mind?”, ask:

Platforms and tools like Reddit, ChatGPT, TikTok, and Google form today's modern decision-making table. Are you on it?

Takeaways: Earning Your Place in the Decision Stack

• Identify Specific Channels: Pinpoint the exact channels your customers utilise before purchasing.

• Map the Information Diet: Understand precisely which reviews, forums, and tools shape their final decision.

• Produce Precision Content: Create content explicitly addressing the questions your prospects enter into ChatGPT or Google.

• Clarify Differentiators for AI: Ensure your product’s unique selling points are explicit and clear enough to survive AI summarisation. Make it easy for machines to recognise, parse, and highlight your value.

Viewing Brand Through the JTBD Lens

As you know, I'm a big fan of viewing everything through the Jobs-to-be-Done lens. So, when considering brand strategy, try this JTBD prompt:

Brand still matters—but today, it thrives by consistently appearing exactly where your customers are searching, and by clearly proving you're the best answer to their problem.

Speak soon,

Peter

P.S. Here’s a mini-challenge: Ask ChatGPT why someone should choose your brand. Does the answer align with how you’d explain it?

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