Brand recognition
Mental availability
How readily buyers notice, recognise or think of a brand across relevant buying situations.
By Suman SharmaUpdated Editorial policy
The Ehrenberg Bass Institute describes mental availability through the brand memories people can access in a buying situation. A founder might recall different suppliers when preparing a launch and when replacing an agency. Recognising a name in a survey captures only part of that picture. Mental availability also differs from liking a brand. Recall evidence alone cannot show why a buyer chose a supplier or whether a campaign caused a sale.
Sources and further reading
How Branding Tatva uses it
List situations buyers describe, then ask which suppliers come to mind for each. Record the audience, prompts and research date. Use the gaps to choose clearer explanations and relevant examples; compare later responses under similar conditions before claiming a change.
Questions this term clarifies
- What makes a brand memorable?
- What are distinctive assets?
- How does consistency create memory?