Big brands succeed not just because they have deep pockets, but because they’ve mastered some timeless marketing principles. And the good news? These lessons can be translated into simple, actionable moves for small businesses—no Super Bowl-level ad spend required. 

Let’s look at three big-brand strategies you can borrow and scale down to fit your business right now.

Think about running shoes. If I asked you to name a brand, chances are Nike or adidas sprinted to the front of your mind. Maybe New Balance or Asics followed close behind. That quick recall is brand salience—the mental shortcut that puts certain names at the front of the line.

Exposure plays a big role in building that recall. The more often you see a brand, the more likely it is to pop into your head when you’re ready to buy. But exposure by itself isn’t enough. Long-term success comes from being remembered and chosen—which requires trust, relevance, and distinctiveness, not just visibility.

In this blog, we’ll explore why exposure matters, where it falls short, and what else you need to build a brand that lasts.

Brands Are Built Over Years, So Why Do We Manage Them Over Quarters?

We can’t take credit for this very poignant question. That one goes to the big brains Leonard Lodish and Carl Mela over at Harvard Business Review, but I can repeat it - because it’s a question worth asking and one that comes up time and time again (most recently in the AMI article below - definitely worth a read).

We marketers love a refresh. A rebrand. A bold new campaign. But here’s the reality:

Consistent brands are stronger brands.