Can you remember the last time you bought something because it made a deep connection with your personality? Maybe it was an adventure jacket that screamed how exciting and offbeat life had to offer, or a coffee chain is as concerned about ecological issues as you are. It’s no accident that you could connect with these brands – that’s all due to brand personality.
Brand personality isn’t just a catchphrase used to describe your business. It is a method of taking the company out of sterile spreadsheets and turning it into something that can emotionally engage with its audience. But what does this mean in practice? And how can you achieve an effective brand personality for your company? Here we show what brand personality actually is, why it matters and how to make your own.
What Is Brand Personality in Marketing?
Brand personality is the human characteristics or traits associated with a brand. Just like people have distinctive personalities that shape how they are perceived and interact with others, so too can companies adopt particular brand personalities as a way of influencing customer opinion and fostering loyalty.
For example:
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Nike is a brand of power and persistence.
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Coca-Cola is bright, lively, and nostalgic.
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Tesla is modern yet classic, brave and pioneering.
These personas aren’t just there by accident. Instead, they are deliberately adopted in order to make brands stand out and reach their customers on an emotional level. When you have a solid brand personality in place, it really can do more than draw attention—it builds trust and loyalty, encourages advocacy. Correctly implemented, such customization will also deliver back financial returns to the company as well as a greater sense of mission among employees.
Why Is Brand Personality Important?
In a Competitive Market—Differentiation
Think of entering a supermarket and seeing shelves filled with the same bottled water. Why do you choose one? The playful logo may do it. Or a responsible commitment to environmental practices. And just this sentence on a bottle label: “With every bottle you’re helping us plant trees.”
In a sea of competitors, your brand’s personality sets it apart from the others, giving people reason to choose you over the other choices.
Think About an Emotional Connection
People do not simply buy products and services but the emotions that go with them. They buy experiences that are worth remembering (Nielsen study). If a brand comes across as friendly and familiar, consumers will feel more likely to remain loyal.
Brand Recall
The more distinctive your personality, the easier it is to remember. That’s why Geico’s funny gecko or Apple’s simple sophistication is unforgettable.
Build Trust and Loyalty
Consistent brand personality across every touchpoint reassures customers. Whether a person first encounters your brand on social media, in an ad or on your website, consistent messaging will either build trust or destroy it from the very beginning.
Six Archetypes That Shape Brand Personalities
Brand personality often borrows from six core archetypes that emerge from psychology. These archetypes make it easy to define and consistently express your personality.
1. The Hero
Brands with a “Hero” personality serve customers by empowering them to surmount challenges. Witness Nike’s “Just Do It” slogan, which encourages athletes at every level towards going beyond limits.
2. The Caregiver
This personality exudes warmth and nurturance. Brands commonly adopting it include those in the health, wellness or sustainability fields—Johnson & Johnson, Soothe.
3. The Originator
Brands from this group want you to use your imagination and add your personal touch. Adobe or Lego fits into this category, trying to provide you with the tools you need to manufacture and edit those bright ideas.
4. The Explorer
Discovery, adventure and exploration define the brands that are closest to this concept. Jeep is a fine example which embodies an ‘off-the-beaten-path’ philosophy.
5. The Scholar
Knowledge and the acquisition of expertise are of primary concern to these brands. Harvard, National Geographic, and Google School are examples of Scholar brands.
6. The Jester
Those of you who don’t fit into conventional notions and whose perspectives disrupt traditions. Harley-Davidson or Tesla are typical Rebel brands.
Knowing which of these archetypes your business is closest to could help shape a brand personality that your target audience finds instantly agreeable.
Steps to Building a Strong Brand Personality
Building a brand that commands attention is not something you do overnight. It involves research, creativity, and putting together a long-term plan.
1. Define Your Target Audience
Whom are you speaking to? A brand personality works only when it echoes your audience’s tastes, values, and lifestyles. Develop detailed customer personas to find out their demographics, behaviors, and dreams.
2. Define Your Brand Values and Mission
For what is your brand? Your brand’s personality should be consistent with your central values and purpose. For example, Patagonia’s commitment to environmental sustainability is one of the reasons its brand presents itself as adventurous and ethical.
3. Choose Your Voice and Tone
Think of your brand voice as how you speak to your audience. Is your brand playful and fun like MeUndies? Or professional and authoritative like The New York Times? Whatever you decide, keep the same tone across all platforms.
4. Narrow Your Visuals
Imagery, typography, colors, packaging should all reinforce your personality. Bright, merry colors like yellow and orange work for cheerful brands, while elegant, minimalist visuals suit those striving for refinement and grace.
5. Build a Personality Structure
What characteristics perceptively define your brand’s personality? Is your firm’s brand seen as audacious, compassionate or rebellious? Add these traits to action-ready behaviors. For example, if your brand is pioneering, focus on bringing out new products and keeping ahead in the marketplace.
6. Be Consistent Across All Your Contacts
From website content to an email newsletter, your brand personality should be coherent. Inconsistencies could mislead your audience. A company that lurches from professional to cute to formal is unlikely to engender long-term trust.
Mastering Personality: A Few Examples of Different Brands
Wendy’s
When you think of Wendy’s, adorable Twitter comebacks or a spirited attitude might come to mind. The brand also uses humor brilliantly in order to reach its wide audience and yet still retain a strong fast-food identity.
Apple
With innovation and simplicity at its core, Apple has built its own brand personality. Every product, advertisement or store any angle for all three reflects the sophisticated, forward-looking lineage of this DNA.
Airbnb
Airbnb’s customer-friendly, nurturing gold personality is heavily vested in shared experiences and the memories evoked by these. Underpinning this ethic at every turn is their tag-line, “Belong Anywhere”.
Start with Baby Steps as You Strive to Craft Your Brand Personality
Think of brand personality as the human qualities your company brings into every interaction. It is what helps your audience feel close to you and decide on your brand rather than somebody else’s. Whether you are a newly created company or one that has been around for decades, putting time and effort into forming your brand personality is one of the best things you can do.
If you want your marketing to have a human touch, or you want to add some panache to the personality you already have developed, try discovering just what your brand stands for and aligning it with what your chosen third parties like. With a little cleverness, you can bring into being a personality that not only attracts but retains customers.
