Do Buyers Think of Your Brand When It Matters Most?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Martin Coyle
Partner at SmilingCFO Ltd
Email: martin@smilingcfo.co.uk
Phone: 07927 551592
Website: SmilingCFO

Birmingham, UK – 4 June 2026

Do Buyers Think of Your Brand When It Matters Most?

New diagnostic tool helps marketers reflect on whether their brand comes to mind when customers are ready to buy.

Marketing leaders are under increasing pressure to prove what is really driving growth. But many still do not know whether buyers actually think of their brand when it matters most.

Research from The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute shows that buyers rarely consider every brand they know. Instead, brands compete to be one of the relatively small number that comes to mind in buying situations, making Mental Availability an important driver of growth.

A new online diagnostic tool, the Mental Availability Review, aims to help marketers start exploring that question.

Launched by SmilingCFO, the review takes less than five minutes to complete. It helps marketing leaders understand how well placed their business is to implement Mental Availability principles and identify areas that may deserve deeper focus.

Users receive a personalised report highlighting potential strengths, gaps and opportunities for consideration across three areas: Mapping, Activation and Measurement.

Mental Availability is built by linking a brand to the situations where buying decisions happen. These moments, known as Category Entry Points, help explain why some brands come to mind while others are overlooked. If a brand is not mentally linked to these buying situations, it is less likely to be considered - regardless of awareness levels.

“Most brands are still judged heavily on awareness, but awareness alone doesn’t mean someone will choose you,” said Martin at SmilingCFO.

“The real question is whether people think of your brand in the situations that influence purchase. It’s also whether you come to mind ahead of competitors. That’s what Mental Availability is really about.”

“The Mental Availability Review is designed as a starting point. It helps marketing teams reflect on how prepared they are to implement Mental Availability principles and whether this deserves closer attention. A fuller Mental Availability Assessment can then explore this in more depth.”

The diagnostic review provides an immediate indication of areas that may warrant further exploration. A downloadable PDF report is then sent by email.

Findings are grouped into three areas: Mapping, Activation and Measurement. These help senior marketing teams identify where they may wish to strengthen mental connections and review how Mental Availability is being supported.
The tool has been designed for marketing teams in larger consumer brands looking to pressure-test brand position before investing in wider strategy or research.

The Mental Availability Review is available at smilingcfo.co.uk alongside resources explaining how Mental Availability influences brand growth.

About SmilingCFO:
SmilingCFO Ltd is a specialist consultancy helping large consumer brands grow through Mental Availability - an evidence-based approach grounded in research from The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute and proprietary data.

The business supports marketing teams with benchmarking, strategic frameworks and activation guidance designed to strengthen brand growth.

Notes to editors:

Martin Coyle, Partner at SmilingCFO Ltd, is available for interview or comment on:
● Mental Availability and brand growth.
● Why awareness alone may not predict brand choice.
● Category Entry Points and buying situations.
● Common challenges brands face when building Mental Availability.

Image:
Supporting image for publication can be accessed at SmilingCFO Image .