Are You Reaching the Right People?What Your Marketing Numbers Are Trying to Tell You

Marketing data can feel overwhelming, especially when it’s filled with acronyms and percentages. But behind all the numbers are simple questions: Is your brand reaching the right audience? Is your message landing where it should? And are you investing in the right places?

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In this post, we’ll break down key marketing metrics like BDI, CDI, share of voice, and market share—without the jargon. Whether you're building your personal brand or launching a product, understanding these tools can make a big difference.

Understanding BDI and CDI

BDI stands for Brand Development Index. It shows how well your specific brand is performing in a particular region compared to your average performance across all regions. If your BDI is 110 in a city, it means your brand is doing 10% better there than in the rest of the country.

CDI, or Category Development Index, tracks how well the overall product category is doing in that same region. For example, if you sell protein smoothies and the CDI is 125, that means people in that area are consuming 25% more smoothies than the

national average. That signals strong local interest in your type of product.

When both your BDI and the CDI are high, that’s a great opportunity. You’re in a market that loves your category, and they’re responding well to your brand.

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What Is Share of Voice?

Share of voice refers to how much visibility your brand has in the advertising space

compared to competitors.  It’s often calculated as a percentage of total advertising spend within a market or category.

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IFor example, if your competitors are spending heavily on ads and you’re only contributing a small fraction of that total, your message might not be reaching as many people—even if your product is excellent. If your share of voice is lower than your market share, your brand is at risk of losing ground.

This doesn’t always mean you need to spend more. It could also be a sign to make your messaging more creative, targeted, or memorable. Smart storytelling, strong visuals, and consistency can amplify your voice even on a limited budget.

Why These Metrics Matter for Your Brand

If you’re a freelancer, entrepreneur, or content creator, you might wonder why these concepts matter. The truth is even small brands benefit from thinking strategically.

Metrics like BDI and CDI help you understand where your audience is most active, where interest in your product is growing, and where your efforts may not be resonating yet. Share of voice tells you whether your brand is being heard in the conversation.

When used together, these numbers can guide smarter decisions—like where to run your next campaign, how to adjust your message, or when to invest in paid media versus organic reach.

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Turning Data into Creative Action

At The Creative Crew USA, we believe that creativity and data go together. When you combine the right  insights with bold ideas, your brand becomes more than just visible—it becomes meaningful.

Marketing metrics aren’t about complexity. They’re about clarity. They help you discover where your message is working, where your audience is listening, and where your biggest opportunities are waiting.

Real Example: Coca-Cola in Brazil

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Coca-Cola faced an interesting challenge in Brazil. While soft drink consumption was growing quickly in rural areas, their brand wasn’t keeping up. Instead of launching a big national campaign, they used data to zoom in on those high-

potential regions—where people were already drinking sodas (high CDI) but not choosing Coca-Cola (low BDI).

They adjusted their strategy with localized advertising, affordable pricing, and smaller packaging, which helped them gain market share without overspending.

This case was featured in a Harvard Business School study about Coca-Cola’s regional marketing efforts in Brazil.