Recently, I discovered Google’s latest addition to their Google Ads arsenal: the Association metric in Brand Lift Studies. This innovative feature reveals how consumers connect brands with essential attributes, bridging the gap between awareness and consideration.
Google is addressing a critical gap by providing advertisers with a clearer view of how their brand is truly perceived—not just recalled.
What’s new. With this update, Google Ads introduces a fresh “Association” metric within Brand Lift Studies. As advertisers, we can specify a concept, category, or attribute, and Google will survey users to determine which brands they associate with these ideas.
How it works. This revolutionary metric evaluates whether audiences link our brand to a desired positioning—such as “premium” or “sustainable”—offering a sophisticated perspective on brand perception.
Why we care. This new metric allows us to measure brand positioning, not just surface-level awareness or recall. It’s crucial to understand if our campaigns genuinely influence how consumers perceive our brand—vital for those targeting specific attributes or categories.
Between the lines. Previously, Brand Lift focused on awareness, recall, and consideration. Now, Association dives deeper, illuminating whether our messaging shapes how people perceive our brand, beyond mere recognition.
The catch. However, there’s a catch: we can only choose three Brand Lift metrics per study. Adding Association requires us to balance the existing KPIs.
The bottom line. Association provides a strategic perspective on brand building, enabling us to measure whether our intended messages resonate with consumers.
First seen. This update was first spotted by Google Ads expert, Thomas Eccel, who shared the news on LinkedIn.
Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.
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