Beyond the Logo. Building Brand Fluency For Better Advertising.
We’ve all heard it: “Make the logo bigger.” Or “Add two more seconds to our end slate.” Sometimes it’s “Keep the logo on screen for the entire spot.”
Whatever it is, a logo is just one part of the branding matrix. Strong brands go deeper by creating emotional connections through distinctive assets that stick in people’s minds. Without those assets, even the most moving ads risk being forgotten.
Recent research by System1 paints a revealing picture: 35% of viewers couldn’t name the brand behind Cannes Lion Grand Prix-winning ads, even when paid to pay attention. Why? Too many ads rely on the brand’s logo in the final frames, instead of building brand cues throughout the spot.
Emotion alone isn’t enough. Without brand fluency and the ability to instantly link an ad to its brand, those emotional responses have little impact on business results. System1’s data shows that ads lacking consistent brand integration miss out on the full impact of emotion.
Fluency comes from recognizable brand codes: familiar characters, jingles, taglines, colours, tone, and symbols. These elements serve as mental shortcuts, enabling viewers to immediately associate the emotion of an ad with your brand. And that’s critical in today’s short-attention world.
There’s a big difference between slapping on a logo at the end of a TikTok, versus weaving in a brand’s elements, like a mascot or sonic logo, throughout the story. The former can detract from attention, while the latter fosters emotional connection and brand recall.
Our recent trailer for the launch of Marvel’s Contest of Champions on PC is a great example of brand fluency. Rather than just stitching together gameplay footage, we told three short stories about three different players, each highlighting a key benefit of the new platform. Combined with a reimagined version of Mozart’s Ode to Joy, familiar characters, and clever brand Easter eggs, the result is a piece that is emotionally impactful and brand fluent from beginning to end.
The takeaway: Your brand isn’t just a logo; it’s a set of signals that people recognize and trust. The more consistent and ownable those signals are, the more likely your advertising will cut through, connect, and convert.
The End.
