How Context Can Inspire Brand Growth
People typically have expectations of brands they are familiar with. These expectations include what they believe the brand can do for them, and how it will make them feel. Brands are more likely to be chosen if they can reframe these expectations in a way that resonates.
But how can brands identify which beliefs and feelings resonate most? Many brand growth models attempt to answer this question with static solutions, using generic key performance indicators. However, the reality is that people’s choices of brands do not happen in a vacuum and instead are very much influenced by context – what’s going on in a person’s life and in the wider world around them.
Research by Ipsos reveals that contextual influences account for over 50% of brand choice drivers, depending on the category. This is why we believe that we need to move away from static brand growth models towards more dynamic contextual brand choice models that respond to the ever-changing context in which brands and their consumers live.
Understanding and adapting to this dynamic landscape is not just beneficial, it’s essential. In this paper, we draw on our research to highlight the undeniable influence of both micro and macro contexts on shaping consumer decisions. In particular, we examine:
- Why context is key to brand choice and the importance of functional, emotional, and societal expectations.
- How contextual understanding can help brands to identify their true competition.
- What types of decision-making habits stop people from switching brands.
- The changes in socio-cultural or economic context that can inspire new ways for brands to grow.
Discover the other POVs in our context series
This paper is the final instalment in our three-part series on understanding the impact of context on brand choice. The series focuses on the importance of identifying the context in which consumers make brand choices and using these insights to drive brand growth.
For more information, please visit our Ipsos Brand Success microsite.
