Mortal Kombat X

Brand Equity on Mobile

Brand equity, as defined by David Aaker, Carol Simon and Mary Sullivan, and Kevin Keller, has traditionally been valued through two benefits: the ability to command a price premium and the ability to spend less on marketing while achieving equivalent exposure.

• Traditional brand equity, which reduces consumer risk and commands price premiums, is largely irrelevant in the mobile ecosystem because 83% of apps are free and users face no financial risk when evaluating new products.
• Mobile app discovery is a winner-takes-all marketplace controlled by platform owners, meaning brand recognition alone cannot guarantee visibility without significant investment in direct-response marketing.
• Brand loyalty is difficult to establish on mobile, evidenced by data showing that 22% of app downloads result in only a single session as users easily switch between competing apps.