3 Marketing Channels for Better Brand Awareness in 2025
Brand awareness, often referred to as the cornerstone of any successful marketing campaign, plays a crucial role whether the target audience consists of end consumers (B2C - Business to Consumer) or other businesses (B2B - Business to Business). Before making a purchase decision, consumers must first be aware of a product or service—its existence, availability, and features. Ideally, they should also develop an emotional connection to the brand.
In recent years, performance marketing campaigns have gained popularity. These campaigns focus on optimizing returns to maximize the return on ad spend (ROAS). While this approach seems logical and straightforward, its success relies heavily on prior investments in building brand awareness—an often overlooked but essential foundation. For new products, services, or brands entering new markets, strong brand recognition is critical for sales success, alongside competitive pricing strategies. Generally, achieving over 70% brand recognition in surveys is considered a good benchmark, while the ultimate goal is to become a top-of-mind brand within a specific category.
With limited budgets, especially for smaller brands, only a few major players can afford to invest in an extensive range of marketing channels (omnichannel marketing—TV, billboards, print, social media, public relations, etc.). For most, the recommendation is to focus on a select few channels tailored to the target audience. The key is to combine mass communication channels (ATL - Above the Line) with direct consumer engagement channels (BTL - Below the Line).
Below are recommendations for three key channels that, when integrated into a communication mix, can significantly boost brand awareness and, consequently, drive sales.
Short Video Formats to Enhance Brand Awareness
Short video content has become an indispensable format for significantly boosting brand awareness. Among the leading platforms for such content is TikTok, which continues to see substantial audience growth year after year and enjoys immense popularity in Serbia. While there’s still a perception that TikTok caters solely to younger generations, this is far from accurate.
At a recent Mark Awards conference, experts from the digital team at Smartpoint Adria presented the latest data, revealing that approximately 2 million people in Serbia actively use TikTok. These users are relatively evenly distributed across age groups, with a slightly higher concentration in the 18-35 age bracket.
The bad news is that the era of free, high organic reach is over. TikTok has updated its algorithm to prioritize advertisements alongside content from its leading creators. The good news, however, is that in this early phase, brands can achieve substantial reach with relatively modest investments.
Marketing and brand managers should seize this opportunity and allocate resources to TikTok advertising. This platform offers a unique chance to make a significant positive impact on brand awareness at a comparatively low cost.
BTL Activities for Consumer Engagement
To bring your brand closer to consumers, I recommend BTL activities that involve direct engagement and evoke an emotional response. This includes participation in various events, street fairs, and festivals, as well as organizing your own BTL events.
For the brands Pet Centar and Curaprox, we created themed brand caravans in 2024, which garnered significant attention from consumers across Serbia. From personal experience, I’ve seen how much interest a well-branded, large trailer placed in a high-traffic location can generate. When paired with engaging and valuable content—such as activations like a "wheel of fortune," pet competitions, or training sessions on proper oral hygiene—consumer engagement increases substantially.
These interactive, on-the-ground efforts not only enhance brand visibility but also create memorable experiences that resonate with the audience, driving deeper connections and loyalty.
Business Conferences and Themed Events for B2B
While the first two recommendations are particularly useful for the B2C segment, when it comes to B2B, business conferences and themed events play a pivotal role, alongside the ever-powerful word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing. Serbia and the region host numerous such events, making it challenging to choose the right ones. Once selected, it's crucial to maximize every opportunity they present.
Sponsorships, branding, and speaking engagements are undoubtedly the most effective strategies. However, your representatives at these conferences must also actively contribute to ensure you leverage all available possibilities. Event organizers provide the platform, but it's your job to make the most of it.
This can be achieved using internal resources or by engaging PR and event professionals to support you in this area. Their expertise can help optimize your presence and ensure your brand makes a lasting impression.
Wishing you a successful 2025!
For Marketing mreža magazine text written by: Bojan Balaž, Business Development Manager, smartpoint adria