Joe Pantigoso is an alumnus and a lecturer in the M.S. in Strategic Communication program, as well as Senior Director of Global Brand at SAP, a leading software company.
Be the brand you want to invite to dinner.
I heard this at an industry event and it reminded me of the impact that brand personality can have in differentiating brands in a crowded marketplace.
For example: Timberlands are rugged; Cartier, elegant; Mini Coopers, quirky. You can see these brand personalities come to life in their customers' experience--in the products themselves, in their websites, in their digital communications.
Here are some reasons why brand personality matters.
1. People Like People
Humans are inherently social. Every day, we interact with each other. As with other social animals, we are hardwired to engage with others of our kind. In Aaron Walter’s “Designing for Emotion,” he links this human nature to brand personality and says: “When you present your brand’s personality clearly, your audiences can relate to it as if it were another human.” And if you want to connect emotionally with your audience, he adds, “you must let your brand’s personality show.”
2. Personality Influences Decision-Making
We’ve all heard the expression: it’s not what you say, but how you say it. For example, I'm amazed how often people assess doctors by saying “I liked them. They were nice.” Seldom do I hear about a doctor's experience and expertise. Of course, you're not going to see a quack. But this shows how an emotional connection can trump an analytical assessment. As Walter describes: “Personality is the mysterious force that attracts us to certain people and repels us from others.” Similarly, in a market filled with comparable products and services, how you feel about a brand can be the deciding factor in purchase decision.
3. Personality Can Differentiate
And brand personality can differentiate. A classic example is Apple’s old “Get a Mac” campaign where PC and Mac were personified by actors: Mac being cool and young while PC was not. These entertaining personality-focused ads made the difference between the two brands very clear and compelling.
Identifying a brand’s personality can be based on analysis, research, or both. It can be based on desired attributes, for example, how you want to distinguish your brand from competitors. Or it can be based on research that shows where your brand has purchase-driving power or where it needs reinforcement.
So what's your brand’s personality? In an example that Walters provides, would it be “serious, buttoned up, all business, yet trustworthy and capable," or “a wise-cracking buddy that makes even mundane tasks fun"?
Identifying and defining your brand’s personality and using it to guide your customers' brand experience can help engage audiences emotionally to drive your business.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of any other person or entity.