Brand testing is an absolute necessity because business owners and creative teams often become too familiar with their own logos, colors, slogans, and designs to judge them objectively. Outside feedback helps demonstrate what customers actually notice and remember before a company commits to expensive decisions.
While a carefully crafted logo can look obvious to the people who made it, customers don't have the benefit of sitting through months of meetings, presentations, and the like. That difference matters.
A business may believe its visual identity communicates everything from trust and innovation to affordability or expertise, but that may not always be the case. Brand testing helps close that gap.
Why Exactly Is Brand Testing So Crucial?
Despite their best attempts to avoid it, people within a company often develop what could be called brand blindness. After seeing the same logo hundreds of times or more, employees may stop noticing confusing details or weak design choices. Familiarity can make almost anything seem clearer than it truly is.
A customer encountering the brand for the first time has no such issue. They may not understand what an abstract symbol represents. They may even read a slogan differently than intended, and a color palette that feels modern internally may look generic or outdated to the intended audience.
With brand testing, it's possible to view the business from an outsider's perspective. Companies can test the following before investing the majority of their resources in a full launch:
- Logos
- Names
- Packaging
- Advertisements
- Taglines
- Websites
- Product concepts
Solid market research can answer the most vital questions. What does someone notice first? What emotions does the design create?
Other questions to keep in mind include: Does the logo feel appropriate for the product category? Can people remember the name after seeing it briefly?
Let's face it, the answers may not always be the most flattering. Frank feedback is far more useful before a launch than after thousands of dollars have been spent on everything from advertising and packaging to signage and beyond.
Testing also helps companies compare options. Rather than asking a leadership team to choose among three logo designs based solely on personal taste, a business can present those options to members of its target audience.
One design may be visually attractive but difficult to remember. Another may appear less exciting to the creative team while communicating the brand's purpose with better clarity.
It's worth noting that outside opinions shouldn't control every decision by default. Robust consumer insights provide useful evidence, of course, but companies still need professional judgment and a serious understanding of their long-term goals.
How Do Companies Reliably Test Their Brands?
Companies can put their brand to the test in several ways, depending on their stage of development and other factors. Some methods shed light on broad numerical results, while others explore deeper opinions and the psychology behind emotional reactions.
Surveys are useful when a company wants feedback from a larger set of people. Participants can do the following:
- Rate logos
- Compare names
- Describe brand associations
- Explain which option they would be most likely to choose
Interviews tend to lead to more detailed responses. A researcher can ask follow-up questions when someone hesitates or gives an out-of-the-box answer. That flexibility can uncover problems that a multiple-choice survey might gloss over.
Focus groups offer yet another way to study reactions. Participants discuss products, concepts, logos, or messages alongside a moderator.
Doing this allows researchers to explore not only what people think but why they think it. Group discussion can also highlight reactions that come about when people respond to one another.
Testing can also involve real-world behavior. A company might present different versions of an advertisement to separate audiences and spend time measuring their engagement. A product tester can even provide feedback after using an item rather than just describing an initial impression.
There's no denying that blind comparisons can be especially valuable when businesses want to understand whether customers genuinely prefer a product or are reacting largely to a familiar name. Product testing can evaluate the following while comparing competing options:
- Performance
- Perceived quality
- Preferences
The most useful approach hinges on the exact question you'd like to ask. Numbers can reveal how many people prefer one option, while qualitative feedback can get into the nitty-gritty behind their preferences.
Surveys tend to be better for measuring patterns at scale, and group discussions provide much-needed context about motivations and perceptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Should a Company Test Its Brand?
A company should always consider testing its brand before launching a new identity or campaign. It's also helpful for a new product or major marketing initiative. The earlier the feedback, the easier it is to course-correct because fewer resources have been committed.
Established small businesses can also benefit from periodic testing. Customer expectations and competitive markets are rarely, if ever, static, so a message that once came across as clear may eventually need to be refined.
Can You Test a Logo Against Competitors?
Comparing a logo with competitor designs can help a company understand whether its brand strategy truly stands out or merely blends in. A design may look distinctive on its own but appear quite bland when placed alongside competing brands.
Competitive comparisons can also reveal whether customers associate certain colors, symbols, or design styles too strongly with another company.
What Is A/B Testing for Logos?
A/B testing involves scrutinizing two or more logo options to see which one produces stronger reactions from the intended audience. Participants may be asked:
- Which design they prefer
- Which one seems more trustworthy
- Which version they're most likely to remember
Brand Testing Can Ensure Customer Engagement
The last thing you'd want to do is alienate the people who may end up being your best customers. Brand testing is one of the best ways to ensure you're on the right track to building trust and loyalty.
There's always more to learn about business, marketing, and more. Our publication is dedicated to keeping readers informed on all the topics that matter to them. We invite you to subscribe to our newsletter so that you can get the latest news as soon as it's available.
This article was prepared by an independent contributor and helps us continue to deliver quality news and information.