18
Sep
2020

PV Global Research

categories: Platform video

What is your understanding of ‘branding awareness’ in this context?

Branding awareness can be summarised as “the buyer’s ability to identify (recognise or recall) the brand, within the product or service category, in sufficient detail to make a purchase”(Rossiter, 2014). The consumer’s ability to recall a brand influences their purchase decisions and overall attitude about the brand. Marketing can be used to establish a specific idea of the brand in people’s minds, through consistent messaging and creating a brand identity. As Seth Godin puts it, “Marketing is the story you tell, who you’re telling it to, why people are gonna buy it” (Godin, 2019). It is important for audiences to gain a sense of trust in a brand before they engage with products and become loyal consumers.

Rossiter establishes three types of brand awareness. Brand Recognition is important when the brand choice is made at the point of purchase, and the customer only knows the iconography when seen (brand name, pack or logo) and is the lowest level of brand awareness. Category-Cued Brand-Name Recall influences the buyer’s ability to recall the brand name before purchase, accurately enough to look for it or order it when given the category cue. Brand Recall-Boosted Recognition occurs when the buyer knows the brand, category and can visually locate specific products, and is the highest level of brand awareness.

Branding awareness is also being used in the context of the gallery sphere. As The National Gallery of Victoria was founded in 1861, the gallery emphasises their connection to Australians via their 158-year history. The NGV’s strategic framework states that ‘today the NGV is a dynamic, vibrant and essential community asset that contributes to the cultural, educational, social and economic wellbeing of Victorians’ (NGV Annual Report, 2018). They implement this messaging of the ‘oldest and most visited gallery in Australia’ in their branding across social media platforms and event promotion.

How are other galleries using media content to expand their ‘branding awareness’?

Using the NGV’s online presence as an example, the NGV has established a strong brand voice across several media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, newsletter and publications). The NGV’s Instagram has 355k followers, and their Facebook has 209k, which illustrates their wide audience. Their media content follows a community-driven approach, following their mission to ‘collect, conserve, develop and promote the state’s works of art and bring art to the people of Victoria’ (NGV Annual Report, 2018).

This is present in their main media content on Instagram. The NGV produces an array of content including video, photography, carousels, and educational artist profiles and tours. The gallery’s archival content points back to their archives of artwork, which reinforces the idea of conservation and education to their audience. Additionally, the gallery often promotes ’new’ content and events such as NGV Friday nights, collaborations with brand partners and community projects. In doing so, the NGV brands themselves as focused on building connections with the community to “enrich[..] our understanding of art and life” (NGV Annual Report, 2018).

The NGV’s Instagram

 

What media and communication strategies are art galleries using to guide the production of content?

Art galleries are implementing a number of communication strategies to drive the production of content. Through my research, I have discovered that COVID-19 has prompted galleries in general to move online to hybridise their space and increase their accessibility to audiences.  Prior to the pandemic, the NGV has always maintained a strong online presence; it was named the most tagged Instagram location in Victoria for 2018 and the fifth most tagged in Australia. This is outlined in their goal ‘Bringing art works to life’ in their strategic framework: ‘The NGV aims to harness[…] digital technologies to take more artworks to broader audiences’ (NGV Annual Report, 2018). To promote ongoing engagement with their audience during COVID-19, the National Gallery has started the hashtag #NGVEveryday.

The #NGVEveryDay hashtag

Other strategies used to market and campaign the NGV until now have included art events, exhibitions, and selling products related to the artists. The NGV’s strong publishing program continued in 2018/19, with the commissioning, development and release of thirty publications across print and online. The NGV also continued its commitment to accessibility through the online publication of numerous texts, including essays and interviews (NGV Annual Report, 2018). Each of these media strategies help to market the NGV to their audience.

 

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