Brand image
The set of associations people actually hold about a brand: what it is like, who it is for, what it is good at and how it makes them feel. It is the receiving side of brand identity, which is what the company intends. Image follows usage more than ads: users of a brand rate it higher on almost every attribute, so a 'better image' often just means more buyers.
Where it's used
Used in brand tracking, positioning work and repositioning briefs to compare what people think with what the brand intends. Good for spotting gaps, but read image scores next to penetration, because bigger brands score higher on most attributes.
Example
Premium in the deck, convenient in the head
Illustrative scenarioA coffee chain describes itself as a premium specialty café in every brand document. A survey shows customers associate it mainly with 'fast', 'near the office' and 'good value'. The team stops arguing with the data and leans into speed and convenience in its menu and ads. Visits per customer go up, because the brand now promises what people already believed.
