How to become Top-of-Mind
Successful brands put people at the center and that’s what makes them both resilient and ready for growth.
Because brand value and business success aren’t defined by what companies say about themselves, but by what people think, feel, and ultimately do. The key lies in replacing assumptions with clarity — understanding what truly matters to people.
In the following article, we explore how Croatian hospitality brand Valamar has learned to predict business success and strengthen brand affinity — by aligning every aspect of the brand around one measurable goal: creating an outstanding guest experience.
Aware offers deep insights into how people perceive and interact with brands.
Together with Valamar, we developed a strategy built on AI-driven performance metrics – making brand success both measurable and scalable. With our proprietary artificial intelligence tool “Aware”, we can now see in real time how the brand evolves against guest expectations, which needs create the greatest value, and how Valamar performs in comparison to its competitors. Because to truly understand – and actively manage – the brand’s contribution to customer satisfaction and business growth, you need an objective, reliable assessment.
"Aware" is an AI-powered brand evaluation model designed to make a brand’s strategic capital visible.
By continuously tracking brand KPIs and performance indicators, Valamar gains actionable insights that help brand leaders identify growth opportunities and make investment decisions with greater confidence.
The following are Aware’s overarching KPIs
Perception share – Aware shows how brands are perceived within their category and how deeply their values resonate across social networks. Brands that hold a stronger share in perception-driving factors grow faster when the market sees them as the better choice.
Brand value performance – Aware uncovers why Valamar is top of mind and which brand values make it the preferred choice. Being top of mind means being the first brand that comes to mind when people make a decision – and the one they trust most.
AI-optimized brand growth – Aware shows how strong brand values fuel growth by turning emotional needs into measurable success. When performance in brand values is understood and optimized, brands unlock their full growth potential.
What Aware revealed about how Valamar is perceived – an excerpt
With a perception share of 37.14%, Valamar stands clearly at the top of Croatia’s Holiday Hotels & Resorts – a strong sign of both awareness and popularity. Online, the brand spreads 2.65 times faster than any other in its category. Valamar is not just relevant when people plan their trips – it’s part of daily digital conversations, with more than 85,000 people actively engaging with the brand. This year, its digital brand growth has multiplied by 1.16, a 16.12% gain in the race for Croatia’s most loved holiday brand, based on our analysis of data from over 200,000 guests.
Valamar’s dedication to creating a truly customer‑oriented brand – one that carefully stages the premium experience – has become a catalyst in social spaces, accelerating the spread of its core brand values and strengthening the brand image.
Ultimately, it’s the brand experience – and the connection to Valamar – that makes the difference.
The success of the Valamar brand is rooted in authenticity – and it resonates with a growing number of people seeking more personal and genuine holiday experiences.
For Valamar, a guest’s stay and their memories mean far more than just a transaction or another vacation. Today, travellers increasingly look for emotional connections with brands that truly understand and fulfil their needs.
Valamar’s strategic positioning, “Holiday as you are,” is more than a promise – it’s proof of how the brand has come to dominate the market’s two key booking drivers: the authentic experience and the perfect stay. Now, Valamar is leveraging its exceptional top‑of‑mind performance to shape this brand image for a new generation of younger guests.
The slogan “Holiday as you are” tells a simple truth: not every stay is the same. It’s the deep, personal moments that turn a holiday into the perfect stay. A slogan’s purpose is to capture the spirit of a brand and connect with people. Valamar does exactly that – by channeling its two strongest top‑of‑mind brand values, where it clearly leads from the guest’s perspective, into a coherent corporate slogan. Through its imagery and video content, the brand brings the Valamar experience to life. In communication, Valamar becomes a bridge – connecting moments with the people who live them, and encouraging them to enjoy their holidays in their own way.
Focusing “Holiday as you are” on Valamar’s strongest brand fields sharpens clarity and deepens authenticity.
From the guest’s perspective, the appeal of a slogan is not a matter of cosmetic or aesthetic taste – it’s about how strongly the brand aligns with their own identity. The deeper this sense of alignment, the more meaningful and relatable the brand becomes – and the more likely guests are to prefer it, share it, and live it, both offline and online. Because the true power of social conversion lies in turning brand choice into brand love.
