The Hidden Science of Brand Associations

How do brands really live in our minds? According to Ulli Applebaum, it’s all about associations — the complex web of meanings and emotions that define how people see your brand. This week on On Brand, the international strategy veteran and author of The Science of Brand Associations shares how we can use science, not guesswork, to build brands that stick.

What You'll Learn

• Why brand associations are the “operating system” that shapes every strong brand
• How science explains the way memories form—and how marketers can build stronger ones
• The difference between positive and negative associations (and how to fix the latter)
• Why distinctiveness and focus matter more than ever for new brands
• Simple, science-backed tools to audit and strengthen your brand’s mental network

Episode Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(01:20) Why no one has written about brand associations—until now

(03:40) The brain science behind how brands live in memory

(06:20) Brand associations as your brand’s operating system

(08:00) How associations drive purchase and brand preference

(10:20) Managing negative brand associations

(14:50) What small brands can do to stand out

(23:50) The brand that’s made Ulli smile recently

Ulli Appelbaum is an internationally recognized brand strategist, consultant, and author with more than 25 years of experience shaping business-building strategies for some of the world’s top brands. Before launching his consultancy First The Trousers Then The Shoes, he held senior strategy roles at agencies including BBDO Germany, Leo Burnett Chicago, Fallon Worldwide, and SapientNitro. Ulli’s work has earned seven Effies and an ARF Ogilvy Award for Excellence in Research. His latest book, The Science of Brand Associations: Win Minds, Win Markets, is a first-of-its-kind guide to understanding and building the mental networks that make brands thrive.

What Brand Has Made Ulli Smile Recently? Ulli chose KitKat — a brand he’s admired for decades for its clever, humorous advertising and the enduring “Have a Break” positioning. He recalls a classic British TV spot where a photographer takes a break with a KitKat just as the panda he’s waiting to capture starts ice-skating behind him. It’s a moment that’s stuck in his mind for 25 years — proof, he says, of how powerful brand associations can be.

Resources & Links

• Connect with Ulli on LinkedIn.
• Check out Ulli's new book, The Science of Brand Associations: Win Minds, Win Markets.
• You can also download the diagnostic tools we discussed on his website, First the Trousers.
• Want more of Ulli On Brand? Here’s his first visit back in 2023.
• And, for fun, here's that KitKat ad that was such a powerful brand association for Ulli.

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