Amazon Sponsored Brands Guide
Sponsored Brands enable registered brand owners to showcase their entire product portfolio with custom creative. Unlike Sponsored Products, which promote individual items, Sponsored Brands ads feature your logo, custom headlines, and product collections. They appear in highly visible placements at the top, middle, and bottom of search results, generating 2-3x higher click-through rates than Sponsored Products.
What Are Sponsored Brands?
Sponsored Brands ads allow you to pay for premium placements in Amazon search results with custom branding. Your ad includes your brand logo, a custom headline (up to 50 characters), and your choice of content: a grid of products, a lifestyle image, or a video. When shoppers click your ad, they land on your brand store, a custom collection page, or your homepage.
The critical difference from Sponsored Products: Sponsored Products promote individual items to drive direct sales, while Sponsored Brands promote your brand to drive discovery across your entire product range and increase brand awareness.
Requirements for Sponsored Brands
To use Sponsored Brands, you must meet the following requirements:
- Brand Registry Registration: You must be registered in Amazon Brand Registry in the marketplace where you want to advertise
- Professional Selling Account: Individual seller accounts cannot use Sponsored Brands; you need a Professional account
- Minimum Monthly Spend: Amazon requires a minimum monthly ad spend (varies by region, typically £100-500+). This is a commitment to test the ad format seriously
- Brand Store (recommended): While not strictly required, having a Brand Store significantly improves results. Brand Store pages give you complete control over how your brand is presented
If you don’t yet have Brand Registry status, this should be a priority. It unlocks not only Sponsored Brands but also A+ Content and brand protection tools.
Why Sponsored Brands Matter
Sponsored Brands deliver several strategic benefits:
- Increased brand awareness: Your logo and custom headline appear prominently to thousands of shoppers
- Higher visibility: Top search result placements put your brand in front of competitors
- 2-3x higher CTR: Sponsored Brands typically drive 2-3x higher click-through rates than Sponsored Products
- Product discovery: Showcase your entire range, not just bestsellers
- Cross-selling opportunity: Drive traffic to your brand store to increase basket size across your product line
- Competitive advantage: Outrank competitors in premium ad placements
Ad Formats and Targeting
Product Grid Format
Display 3-10 of your products in a grid format. Shoppers can click on any product to view details. This format is ideal for showcasing your product range and driving discovery. When clicked, the ad expands to show your full product selection before the shopper chooses a product.
Single Image with Store Link
Feature a single lifestyle image or brand hero image with your headline. Clicking the image takes shoppers to your brand store homepage or a custom collection page. This format emphasizes brand identity and lifestyle over specific products.
Video Format
Include a video in your Sponsored Brands ad. Video automatically starts playing in search results (muted). This captures attention and can communicate your brand story or product benefits compellingly. Videos must be 15-60 seconds and meet specific technical requirements.
Headline Best Practices
Your Sponsored Brands headline is limited to 50 characters and appears prominently in your ad. This headline should be benefit-focused and clear. Poor headlines waste premium ad placements.
Effective headlines:
- “Premium Silicone Baby Feeding” (benefits-focused)
- “Safe, Eco-Friendly Utensils for Babies” (benefit + reassurance)
- “Shop Award-Winning Baby Products” (credibility)
Ineffective headlines:
- “Welcome to Our Store” (no benefit communication)
- “Click Here to Shop” (wasted space)
- “Company Name Products” (no persuasion)
Your headline should answer: “Why should I click this ad instead of competitors?” Use benefit-driven language and consider what appeals to your target shopper.
Creative and Image Requirements
Logo Requirements
Your brand logo must be high-quality and readable at small sizes (it appears small in search results). Ensure your logo scales well. Complex logos with fine detail won’t be readable. Use your primary logo, not a variant or icon.
Product Images
Product images in your grid should be professional, consistent in style, and clearly show each product. Use your best product photography. Images should match the quality of your main listing photos.
Lifestyle Images
If using a lifestyle image format, ensure it’s professionally shot and clearly communicates your brand identity. The image should be visually compelling and make shoppers want to click to learn more.
Targeting and Placement
Keyword Targeting
Like Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands use keyword targeting. You bid on search terms where you want your brand ad to appear. Choose keywords aligned with your overall brand positioning, not just high-volume product keywords. For example, if you sell baby feeding products, target “baby feeding solutions” as well as “baby spoon”.
Ad Placements
Sponsored Brands appear in multiple premium placements:
- Top of search results: Above all organic results. The highest visibility placement
- Within search results: Mixed in with organic and Sponsored Products results
- Bottom of search results: Below organic results, still highly visible
- Product detail pages: On relevant competitor product pages
These placements mean your brand receives multiple exposures per search, increasing awareness and driving higher click-through rates.
Sponsored Brands vs. Sponsored Products
Both ad formats are valuable, but they serve different purposes:
| Factor | Sponsored Products | Sponsored Brands |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Drive sales of specific products | Build brand awareness, drive discovery |
| What gets promoted | Individual products | Brand + product collection |
| Requirements | No special requirements | Brand Registry + Professional account |
| Custom creative | None (uses listing photo) | Logo, headline, images |
| Click-through rate | Standard | 2-3x higher than Sponsored Products |
| Best for | Established products, high ROI focus | New brand launches, building awareness |
Sophisticated brands use both: Sponsored Products for product-level ROI and Sponsored Brands for brand-level visibility and cross-selling.
Campaign Strategy: Sponsored Brands Best Practices
Target Non-Branded Keywords
Bid on category keywords where shoppers are searching for product types you sell, not just your brand name. If your brand isn’t top-of-mind yet, bidding on your brand name alone wastes potential. Bid on “baby feeding products”, “silicone spoons”, “feeding utensils” where you can capture customers discovering your brand for the first time.
Use Your Brand Store as the Destination
Direct clicks to your Brand Store if you have one. This allows shoppers to browse your full catalog and increases average order value. Shoppers who arrive through your brand ad are already interested in your brand. Capitalize by showing them your full range.
Rotate Creative Regularly
Test different headlines, images, and product collections. What works for one audience segment may not work for another. Rotate your creative monthly to test performance and refresh the appearance of your ads.
Monitor Click-Through Rate
Your headline and creative quality directly impact CTR. If your Sponsored Brands CTR is lower than expected, test different headlines or images. High CTR means your creative resonates with searchers.
Connecting Sponsored Brands to Your Broader Strategy
Sponsored Brands should complement your Sponsored Products campaigns and overall advertising strategy. While Sponsored Products focus on product-level ROI, Sponsored Brands build the brand awareness that makes Sponsored Products more effective.
Your Brand Registry status enables Sponsored Brands. Your A+ Content enhances your brand presentation. Your ACoS targets should account for the fact that Sponsored Brands may have higher CPC but also higher CTR and lower conversion pressure (since the goal is awareness, not always direct sales).
For new sellers, review our guide to advertising as a new seller to understand platform rules.
Common Sponsored Brands Mistakes
- Weak headlines: Headlines that don’t communicate benefit or fail to differentiate from competitors
- Poor logo quality: Logos that don’t scale well or look unprofessional at small sizes
- Inconsistent creative: Product images in grid format that don’t match in style or quality
- No Brand Store: Directing clicks to homepage instead of a dedicated Brand Store page
- Only branded keyword targeting: Missing opportunities to reach customers discovering your brand
- Not monitoring CTR: Failing to optimize creative based on performance data
- Setting budgets too low: Minimum monthly spend requirements mean low budgets won’t deliver results
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Amazon Sponsored Brands and what are the requirements to use them?
Sponsored Brands promote your brand and product collections with custom creative including logo and headline. Requirements: Brand Registry registration, Professional selling account, and minimum monthly ad spend (typically £100-500+). These ads appear in premium placements generating 2-3x higher CTR than Sponsored Products.
What is the difference between Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands?
Sponsored Products promote individual products with standard creative (listing photo), focusing on direct sales. Sponsored Brands promote entire brands with custom creative (logo, headline, images), focusing on brand awareness and product discovery. Sponsored Brands have 2-3x higher CTR.
What are the best practices for Sponsored Brands headlines and creative?
Headlines should be benefit-focused, 50 characters max. Use high-quality logos that scale well and professional product images in consistent style. Consider your goal: product discovery (grid format) or brand awareness (lifestyle image). Test different headlines and creative regularly.
Where do Sponsored Brands ads appear in search results?
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Three Ad Formats in Detail
Sponsored Brands offers three distinct ad formats, each optimized for different marketing objectives. Understanding which format serves your goals ensures maximum ROI from your Sponsored Brands investment.
Product Collection Format
This format displays 3-10 of your products in a grid format within the search results. Shoppers can click any product to view its detail page. When the ad is clicked, it may expand to show your full product selection before directing to a specific product.
Product Collection is ideal for showcasing your product range and driving discovery. It works best when you have multiple complementary products shoppers might purchase together. This format drives cross-category awareness within your brand.
Best for: Brands with diverse product lines, customer acquisition and discovery, increasing average order value through cross-selling.
Store Spotlight Format
This format features three custom product collection pages from your brand store. When shoppers click the ad, they land on a curated collection page rather than your main store homepage. This allows you to guide them toward specific product categories, promotions, or seasonal collections.
Store Spotlight performs exceptionally well for brand awareness and traffic to your full catalog. Research shows that Store Spotlight pages deliver approximately 17% higher return on ad spend (ROAS) compared to directing traffic to a standard product list page. This format signals to customers that your brand offers curated experiences beyond individual products.
Best for: Established brands with brand store capabilities, driving higher-quality traffic to curated collections, maximizing ROAS, promoting seasonal campaigns or new collections.
Video Format
The Video format includes auto-playing video (muted) in your Sponsored Brands ad. Videos must be 15-60 seconds long and meet specific technical requirements. Video captures attention in search results and can communicate your brand story, product benefits, or lifestyle positioning compellingly in seconds.
Video performs exceptionally well for brand awareness and emotional connection. The auto-play nature means even shoppers who don’t click still see your brand and message. This format is particularly effective during product launches or when introducing your brand to audiences unfamiliar with your products.
Best for: Brand storytelling, emotional messaging, product demonstrations, reaching new-to-brand audiences, seasonal campaigns with strong visual narratives.
Creative Requirements and Best Practices
Sponsored Brands success depends heavily on creative quality. Amazon has specific technical requirements, but strategic best practices matter equally to compliance.
Logo Specifications
Your brand logo is a critical component of your ad. Amazon requires:
- Dimensions: 400×400 pixels (square format)
- File format: JPG or PNG
- Brand requirement: Must be your registered brand logo as it appears in Brand Registry
- Image quality: High resolution, crisp and clear
- Fill requirement: Logo should fill the entire image space; don’t use a small logo in the center of a white background
Your logo is displayed small in search results. Ensure it’s readable and recognizable at thumbnail sizes. Complex logos with fine detail or thin lines often become illegible when scaled down. Use your primary, most recognizable brand logo, not a variant or icon.
Headline Best Practices
Your headline is limited to 50 characters and appears prominently in your ad. This is your opportunity to communicate value and differentiate from competitors.
Effective headlines communicate benefit:
- “Premium Silicone Baby Feeding” (what you offer)
- “Safe, Eco-Friendly Utensils for Babies” (benefit + reassurance)
- “Award-Winning Baby Products” (credibility signal)
- “Shop Sustainable Baby Solutions” (positioning + benefit)
Ineffective headlines to avoid:
- “Welcome to Our Store” (generic, no benefit)
- “Click Here to Shop” (wasted space, no persuasion)
- “Company Name Products” (no benefit communication)
- “Last Chance – Don’t Miss Out” (urgency messaging is ineffective and may violate Amazon policies)
- “NUMBER ONE SELLER” (ALL CAPS reduces readability; unsubstantiated claims violate policy)
Avoid unsubstantiated claims like “#1 seller” or “best on Amazon”. Amazon prohibits these unless you can back them with data Amazon can verify. Use benefit-driven language addressing customer pain points. Your headline should answer: “Why should I click this instead of competitors?”
Call-to-Action (CTA) Options
Amazon provides pre-written CTA options that appear on your ad:
“Shop Now” is the default and most direct CTA. It signals immediate commercial intent and works best for direct product discovery.
“Learn More” is softer and works better for brand awareness campaigns or educational content. Use this when your goal is awareness over immediate sales.
Amazon may also offer “View Store” or “Explore Collection” depending on your format and destination. Choose based on your campaign objective: “Shop Now” for conversion focus, “Learn More” or “View Store” for awareness focus.
Product Image Quality
If using Product Collection format, each product image must be professional-quality and consistent in style with others. Images should:
- Use white or light backgrounds matching your listing photos
- Show products clearly without clutter or distracting elements
- Match in color tone and lighting across all products
- Use your best-performing listing images
Inconsistent or low-quality images reduce click-through rate and damage brand perception. Invest in professional product photography.
ASIN Selection Best Practices
Choosing which products to feature in your Sponsored Brands ads directly impacts campaign performance. Strategic ASIN selection ensures you’re showcasing your strongest performers.
Minimum Quality Thresholds
Only feature products that meet these standards:
- Minimum 3.5-star rating: Products below this threshold damage brand perception and generate lower click-through rates
- Minimum number of reviews: Featured products should have at least 10-20 reviews. Products with very few reviews signal newness or lower demand
- Active inventory: Only feature in-stock products. Out-of-stock products generate clicks that lead to dead ends, wasting budget
Prefer Products with Active Deals
Products running lightning deals or promotional discounts often see higher click-through rates in Sponsored Brands ads. The discount signals value to shoppers and increases conversion likelihood. If rotating which products you feature, prioritize products currently running promotions.
Product List Page Requirements
If directing your Sponsored Brands ads to a product list page (rather than individual products), Amazon requires:
- Minimum 3 ASINs: Product lists must contain at least 3 products to maintain shopper engagement
- Pause if stock drops: If inventory drops below 3 products, pause the campaign or update the product list to maintain minimum requirements
- Consistent product selection: Don’t rotate products constantly. Shoppers expect consistency
Strategic Selection for Goals
For maximizing revenue: Feature your best-selling products with highest conversion rates. These drive immediate sales.
For new-to-brand customer acquisition: Feature your entry-level or most appealing products that attract new audiences. These drive first-time buyers.
For cross-selling: Feature complementary products that encourage bundle purchases. Feature both high-volume and high-margin products together.
For seasonal campaigns: Rotate seasonal products in and out to keep ads fresh and relevant to current customer intent.
New-to-Brand Metrics
Sponsored Brands provide unique visibility into new-to-brand performance, a critical metric for measuring your brand growth on Amazon. Understanding and optimizing new-to-brand metrics drives sustainable long-term brand building.
What Are New-to-Brand Metrics?
Sponsored Brands track orders, sales, and units that come from customers new to your brand. Amazon defines “new-to-brand” using a 1-year lookback window: any customer who didn’t purchase from your brand in the past 12 months is considered new-to-brand.
Your Sponsored Brands reports show:
- New-to-Brand Orders: Number of orders from new customers
- New-to-Brand Sales: Revenue generated from new customers
- New-to-Brand Units: Units sold to new customers
These metrics appear alongside total metrics, allowing you to segment performance by customer type.
Why New-to-Brand Metrics Matter
New-to-brand metrics measure brand growth, not just sales. A campaign might generate £10,000 in revenue from £2,000 in ad spend (good ACoS), but if 90% of that comes from repeat customers, you’re not building your brand—you’re merely capturing existing customers your ads would have reached organically.
New-to-brand percentage reveals whether your Sponsored Brands campaigns are truly acquiring new customers or just accelerating purchases from existing customers. Healthy campaigns should drive 30-50% new-to-brand revenue depending on your brand maturity and market position.
Using New-to-Brand Data to Optimize
After running your Sponsored Brands campaign for at least 14 days, pull your performance report and analyze new-to-brand metrics. This baseline data allows optimization:
Identify high new-to-brand keywords: Which keywords drive the highest percentage of new-to-brand customers? Increase bids on these keywords to maximize new customer acquisition.
Identify low new-to-brand keywords: Keywords driving mostly repeat customer purchases might still be profitable, but aren’t growing your brand. Consider reducing bids here if you’re prioritizing brand growth.
Adjust targeting for acquisition: If your automatic targeting types show different new-to-brand rates, adjust bids accordingly. “Loose Match” might drive higher new-to-brand percentage than “Close Match”.
Calculate customer lifetime value impact: New-to-brand customers acquired through Sponsored Brands ads likely have higher lifetime value than repeat customers (since repeat customers were already buying from you). Factor this into your ACoS targets.
Setting New-to-Brand Targets
Your target new-to-brand percentage depends on brand maturity. A new brand launching should target 60-80% new-to-brand revenue to maximize market penetration. An established brand might accept 20-30% new-to-brand if the overall campaign profitability is strong.
Combine new-to-brand metrics with your overall ACoS target. A campaign might have acceptable 25% ACoS while driving 40% new-to-brand revenue—a strong result for brand building.
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