Introduction
The “brain consideration set” is a key concept in understanding consumer choice and how brands compete for a place in consumers’ minds. A consideration set represents the few brands that come to mind when a consumer thinks about a specific product category. For marketers, the goal is to ensure that their brand is part of this set so that it is considered when the consumer makes a purchase decision. In this article, we explore how to use the concept of the consideration set in sales to position your brand effectively through mental associations and strategic stimuli.
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What Is a Consideration Set?
A consideration set is the shortlist of brands that a consumer recalls when thinking about a particular product or service category. For instance, if you think about fast food, the brands that come to mind first might be McDonald’s, Burger King, or Subway. These brands have successfully positioned themselves within the consideration set for fast food by creating strong mental associations through consistent marketing and brand messaging.
Example: When we think of “orange juice,” it is very likely that the first brand that comes to mind is “Granini.” This is because Granini has worked to establish itself in the minds of consumers through effective brand positioning, creating a strong association between its product and the concept of orange juice.
How to Position Your Brand in the Consumer’s Consideration Set
To ensure that your brand is part of the consideration set, it’s essential to use strategic marketing to create positive associations in the consumer’s mind. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Define Your Consideration Set Based on Your Brand Personality
The first step is to define your consideration set according to your brand’s personality. The attributes of your brand—such as sincerity, competence, or excitement—should guide how you position yourself against competitors in the consumer’s mind.
Example: If your brand’s personality is based on health and wellness, you want to create strong mental associations between your brand and health-related benefits. This way, whenever a consumer thinks of health-conscious products, your brand naturally comes to mind.
Marketing Strategy: Use emotional storytelling and imagery that aligns with your brand’s personality to build these associations. If your brand values excitement, for example, your messaging should evoke adventure and energy, encouraging consumers to place your brand in their consideration set for action-driven products.
2. Expose the Consumer to Stimuli that Reinforce Brand Associations
Consumers are constantly exposed to a multitude of marketing messages. So it’s crucial to ensure your brand’s stimuli stand out and reinforce the desired associations. These stimuli can take the form of advertisements, logos, product packaging, and brand experiences.
Example: Think of McDonald’s. The brand uses its golden arches, red and yellow color scheme, and jingles to reinforce its image in consumers’ minds. This repeated exposure makes McDonald’s one of the first names consumers think of when considering fast food.
Marketing Strategy: Create multiple touchpoints where consumers are exposed to stimuli that evoke your brand’s key associations. Use visual symbols that are easy to remember and repeat them consistently across different media platforms to build familiarity.
3. Leverage Mental Associations for Stronger Brand Recall
The associations that consumers form with a brand determine whether it will be part of their consideration set. To position your brand effectively, it’s important to leverage these associations to build a mental map in the consumer’s brain.
Example: Coca-Cola uses associations like happiness, celebration, and refreshment to position itself in the soft drink consideration set. Whenever consumers think of a moment of celebration, Coca-Cola often comes to mind. Thanks to these associations that have been built over decades of consistent messaging.
Neuromarketing Insight: The primal brain reacts strongly to positive emotions and repetitive stimuli. Brands that repeatedly expose consumers to positive associations—whether through advertising campaigns or product experiences—can effectively strengthen their position in the consideration set.
Stimulating the Primal Brain Through Brand Messaging
The primal brain, which focuses on survival and emotional stimuli, is a critical target for marketers seeking to position their brand. By appealing to this part of the brain, you can create lasting mental associations that increase the likelihood of your brand being part of the consideration set.
1. Before-and-After Scenarios
One effective way to engage the primal brain is by using before-and-after scenarios that demonstrate how your product solves a problem. This provides a clear and visual depiction of how your product can enhance the consumer’s life.
Example: In a cleaning product advertisement, showing a dirty surface (before) and then the same surface sparkling clean (after) helps consumers visualize the effectiveness of the product. This creates a strong mental association that places the brand in the consumer’s consideration set for cleaning products.
2. Visual Triggers and Symbols
Using visual symbols that are easy to understand and remember is a powerful way to appeal to the primal brain. These symbols should evoke the key attributes of your brand and help create emotional connections.
Example: Nike’s swoosh is a simple but powerful visual trigger that evokes movement, speed, and victory. Every time consumers see this symbol, they recall Nike’s association with athletic performance and personal achievement, which keeps the brand top-of-mind.
Case Study: How to Use Comparative Advertising to Strengthen Consideration
One interesting way brands can reinforce their position within the consideration set is through comparative advertising. By directly addressing competitors, brands can stimulate consumer interest and emphasize their unique value.
Example in Automotive Advertising:
- BMW congratulated Audi on winning the “South Africa Car of the Year 2006” with the message, “From the Winner of the World Car of the Year 2006.”
- Audi responded by emphasizing their success at Le Mans with, “From the Winner of Six Consecutive Le Mans 24-Hour Races 2000–2006.”
- Subaru joined the conversation with, “Well done to Audi and BMW for winning the beauty contest. From the winner of the 2006 International Engine of the Year.“
These comparative ads create a playful competition while reinforcing each brand’s unique strengths, helping them stay within the consumer’s consideration set for high-performance vehicles.
Conclusion
Being part of the consumer’s consideration set is essential for brands looking to succeed in competitive markets. By understanding how to create and reinforce mental associations, using strategic stimuli, and appealing to the primal brain, brands can position themselves effectively in the minds of consumers. Remember to define your brand personality, use consistent stimuli, and leverage powerful visual and emotional associations to make your brand the one that comes to mind when consumers think of your product category.