Why strong brands can ask for more… and get it
The persuasive power of a brand is what makes it valuable. Strong brands are not just recognised – they are remembered, trusted and chosen.
Human brains often rely on emotionally driven, intuitive decisions rather than rational deliberation. Strong brands hold sway over this decision-making. They can do more, sell more and charge more.
One way TRA measures this persuasive power is through Brand Edge – our diagnostic framework for understanding brand advantage.
Brand Edge measures how a brand performs across the signals that shape persuasive power:
Human brains often rely on emotionally driven, intuitive decisions rather than rational deliberation. Strong brands hold sway over this decision-making. They can do more, sell more and charge more.
One way TRA measures this persuasive power is through Brand Edge – our diagnostic framework for understanding brand advantage.
Brand Edge measures how a brand performs across the signals that shape persuasive power:
Fit
Relevance: Is this brand for people like me?
Trust: Is this a brand people trust?
Trust: Is this a brand people trust?
Purpose
Clarity: Does this brand stand for something clear?
Passion: Does this brand feel committed to what it does?
Passion: Does this brand feel committed to what it does?
Energy
Momentum: Does this brand feel like it’s on the way up?
Brand Edge helps identify the value of a brand, the strength of its advantage, and the areas that can sharpen competitive performance.
From there, TRA’s brand tracking measures how your brand’s persuasive power changes over time – and how it performs against competitors. It shows whether brand activity is strengthening the signals that matter, and where to focus next
From there, TRA’s brand tracking measures how your brand’s persuasive power changes over time – and how it performs against competitors. It shows whether brand activity is strengthening the signals that matter, and where to focus next
Explore brand tracking with TRA →
Brand research for the decisions that shape growth
Brand Edge is one way TRA measures the persuasive power of a brand. Brand research can also help organisations understand the wider signals that shape brand performance – from funnel metrics, perceptions and positioning to mental availability, category entry points and distinctive brand assets.
TRA also helps organisations define the foundations of their brand strategy, including positioning, narrative and tone of voice. We call this a Brand Playbook. It gives team a clear foundation for how the brand should show up, what it should signal, and how it should create value.
Ultimately, brand research helps connect what people think, feel and remember with the decisions your organisations need to make.
TRA also helps organisations define the foundations of their brand strategy, including positioning, narrative and tone of voice. We call this a Brand Playbook. It gives team a clear foundation for how the brand should show up, what it should signal, and how it should create value.
Ultimately, brand research helps connect what people think, feel and remember with the decisions your organisations need to make.
Brand research can help answer:
- What do people associate with our brand?
- Is our brand coming to mind in the right situations and moments?
- Why are we chosen – or not chosen?
- How do we compare to competitors?
- Which brand assets are distinctive?
- Is our positioning clear and credible?
- What should we prioritise to strengthen brand performance?
Explore our brand work →
How TRA applies the art of knowing people to brand
Brands exist in people’s minds as mental shortcuts. They make people feel something, expect something and choose one thing over another. Some of these associations are conscious. Many are not.
This is why brand research needs to go beyond asking people what they think. It needs to uncover the beliefs, emotions, memories and habits that shape choice.
TRA combines market research, behavioural science and strategic thinking to understand how brands show up in people’s minds and in the market. We use the right mix of methods to measure what matters – from brand funnel metrics such as awareness, consideration and preference to brand perceptions, positioning, distinctiveness, and category entry points.
The science is knowing what to measure and how to measure it. The art is knowing people well enough to make sense of what the data means.
This is why brand research needs to go beyond asking people what they think. It needs to uncover the beliefs, emotions, memories and habits that shape choice.
TRA combines market research, behavioural science and strategic thinking to understand how brands show up in people’s minds and in the market. We use the right mix of methods to measure what matters – from brand funnel metrics such as awareness, consideration and preference to brand perceptions, positioning, distinctiveness, and category entry points.
The science is knowing what to measure and how to measure it. The art is knowing people well enough to make sense of what the data means.
Depending on the brand problem, our work can include:
- Brand tracking and brand health measurement
- Brand positioning, strategy and narrative development
- Brand equity measurement
- Distinctive asset research
- Mental availability and Category Entry Point measurement
- Competitor and category analysis
- Customer, audience and cultural insight
- Qualitative and quantitative research
- Behavioural diagnostics to understand what drives choice
Explore brand research with TRA →
Meet our lead
Phil Mecredy
Phil is the Brand Frame Lead and an Account Director at TRA. He has extensive experience in brand tracking, research and brand strategy. Prior to TRA, Phil was an Assistant Lecturer at Massey University, teaching consumer behaviour and branding courses while completing his PhD. He has published in leading international journals on the laws of brand growth and mental availability. He was also a visiting researcher to the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute in 2022.
Contact Phil →Clients we have successful
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Lululemon
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Insights
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