How Legacy Brands Use Brand Awareness Tactics For Reinvention

In an ever-evolving marketplace, legacy brands face the challenge of staying relevant and capturing the attention of consumers. These brands, often backed by years or even decades of history, recognize the need to adapt and reinvent themselves to meet changing consumer preferences. One powerful strategy employed by these legacy brands is leveraging brand awareness tactics to breathe new life into their image. By strategically revamping their brand awareness, these companies can reconnect with existing consumers and engage with new audiences. 

In this blog post, we will explore how legacy brands have harnessed the power of brand awareness to successfully reinvent themselves, capture the imagination of consumers, and carve out a fresh space in the competitive landscape.”

Dove “Real Beauty” Campaign

The Dove soap brand has been around for decades. However, the brand aimed to differentiate itself in the beauty industry and challenge conventional beauty standards. The brand sought to redefine beauty by promoting inclusivity, body positivity, and self-acceptance. Dove recognized the need to create a positive and empowering brand image to resonate with its target audience and drive brand loyalty.

Brand awareness played a pivotal role in Dove’s campaign to reshape the beauty industry. The brand understood that by increasing awareness of its messaging and values, it could position itself as a leader in championing realistic and diverse beauty standards. By raising brand awareness, Dove aimed to foster a deeper connection with consumers and challenge the prevailing norms in the industry

Dove launched its “Real Beauty” campaign in 2004, with the goal of celebrating and embracing women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and backgrounds. The campaign featured advertisements and videos that showcased real women rather than airbrushed models, challenging the narrow definitions of beauty perpetuated by the industry. The campaign aimed to create an emotional connection with consumers by promoting authenticity and self-acceptance.

This holistic work had a significant impact on brand awareness. The powerful and thought-provoking messaging resonated with consumers and garnered significant attention. The campaign’s advertisements, including the iconic “Evolution” video, went viral, attracting widespread media coverage and sparking conversations about beauty standards and self-esteem.

Notably, Dove’s brand awareness efforts translated into tangible business success. The campaign resonated with consumers and propelled Dove to become a market leader in the personal care industry. The brand experienced significant sales growth and expanded its product lines to cater to diverse consumer needs, further solidifying its market position.

Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” Campaign

Another iconic yet legacy brand is Coca Cola. In this case, Coke aimed to maintain and strengthen its position as a leader in the soft drink industry. The brand faced the challenge of intense competition and changing consumer preferences. Coca-Cola needed to enhance brand loyalty, capture market share, and drive growth by leveraging its brand heritage and building emotional connections with consumers.

Once again, brand awareness took center stage in Coca-Cola’s business strategy. The brand recognized that by increasing awareness and reinforcing its iconic brand image, it could establish a strong presence in the minds of consumers, maintain relevance, and drive brand preference. Coca-Cola aimed to build a deep emotional connection with consumers through its brand awareness efforts.

One notable campaign that showcased the importance of brand awareness for Coca-Cola was the “Share a Coke” campaign. Launched in various markets worldwide, the campaign involved personalizing Coca-Cola bottles and cans with individual names and messages. It aimed to create a sense of personal connection and encourage consumers to share the product with friends and loved ones.

The “Share a Coke” campaign had a significant impact on brand awareness for Coca-Cola. By personalizing the packaging with names, the campaign generated excitement and intrigue among consumers. The personalized bottles and cans became highly shareable and drove word-of-mouth promotion. Social media played a crucial role in amplifying the campaign’s reach and increasing brand awareness through user-generated content.

The campaign’s personalized approach to packaging and messaging resonated with consumers, evoking a sense of personal connection and emotional attachment. Consumers actively sought out bottles and cans with their names or the names of their loved ones, creating a sense of ownership and reinforcing positive associations with the brand. The campaign fostered consumer engagement, as people shared photos and stories related to the personalized Coca-Cola products.

As a whole, the campaign enabled Coca-Cola to strengthen its emotional bond with customers, positioning the brand as a part of special moments and celebrations. The campaign reinforced positive brand associations and created a sense of nostalgia, reminding consumers of the joy and happiness associated with Coca-Cola. The campaign revitalized consumer interest, generated buzz, and contributed to increased sales and market share. 

How to Get Started On Building Brand Awareness

Young and old brands alike benefit from keeping tabs on brand awareness, and tracking awareness over time. In the scenarios above, it was the only way for Coca Cola and Dove to keep their finger on the pulse of changes in consumer sentiment.

It’s a core reason brands partner with a brand awareness research company. These companies serve as objective third parties, and have the expertise to know how best to structure and launch brand awareness studies as well as analyze the results. They are key partners for any brand wishing to improve their brand awareness position.