Brand Personality
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Brand personality refers to the set of human characteristics associated with a brand. It is how the brand behaves and is perceived, based on factors like gender, age, and emotional traits. Brand personality can help differentiate brands and guide marketing communications by communicating the brand's identity. It is developed over time based on consumer experiences and impressions of the brand. This builds brand equity by creating a unique identity and relationship with customers.
Brand Personality
- 2. What is brand personality? Brand Personality is a set of human characteristics associated with a brand Personality is how the brand behaves Gender, age, socio-economic class, psychographic, emotional characteristics
- 3. Some examples… Marlboro is ‘masculine’ while Virginia Slims is ‘feminine’ IBM is ‘older’ while Apple is ‘younger’ India Today is ‘old-fashioned’ while Outlook is ‘trendier’ Coke is ‘conforming’ while Pepsi is ‘irreverent’
- 4. About brand personality Brand Personality, like human personality, is both distinctive and enduring Both are built over a period of time Refers to the outcome of all the consumer’s experiences with the brand In other words, the brand’s personality is the weighted average of previous impressions In consumer’s mind, these impressions merge to form an overall concept of what to expect from brand
- 5. More about it… Brand Personality is eagerly searched by brand strategists and researchers Differences in responses by different consumers provide useful insights For example, users of a product will perceive a brand different from non-users
- 6. In essence… ‘ Personality traits are what the brand will live and die for’
- 7. Examples… Axe Seduction, masculinity, inviduality, unconventionality Marlboro Masculinity, freedom, adventure Levi’s Rebellion, sensuality, being cool
- 8. Example: Spinz Young Modern Active Outdoor Cheerful Friendly ‘ Life of the Party’
- 9. Why use brand personality? Enriches understanding Helps gain an in-depth understanding of consumer perceptions of and attitudes towards the brand Can provide more insight than is gained by asking about attribute perceptions For ex., Microsoft, IBM etc.,
- 10. Why use brand personality? Contributes to a differentiating identity Can differentiate brands especially where brands are similar in product attributes In fact, it can define not only the brand but the product class context and experience Mercedes Vs BMW ; Clinic Plus Vs Pantene
- 11. Why use brand personality? Guides the communication effort Communicates the brand identity with richness and texture If the brand is specified only in terms of attribute associations, very little meaningful guidance is provided Is Nike shoes or sports, performance and attitude?
- 12. Why use brand personality? Creates brand equity Builds long-term brand equity Differentiates the brand and makes it distinct from other competitive offerings Serves as a powerful relationship device
- 13. How to create brand personality? Personality of a person is affected by everything associated with him – friends, neighbourhood, activities, clothes etc., So too is a brand personality
- 14. Product-related characteristics Product-related characteristics can be primary drivers of a brand personality Even the product class can affect personality Banks, Insurance etc., tend to be Competent, Serious, Masculine, Older and Upper-class Athletic shoes tend to be Young, Lively, Rugged, Outdoorsy, Adventurous etc.,
- 15. Product-related characteristics Product attributes can often affect brand personality A ‘light’ beer would largely be classy, sophisticated etc., A high-priced brand will be considered wealthy, stylish and perhaps snobbish!
- 16. User imagery Can be powerful driver of personality because user is already a person and so conceptualizing the personality is reduced User Imagery can be people who use the brand or those portrayed in advertising
- 17. Sponsorships Activities such as events sponsored by the brand will influence its personality Pond’s sponsoring Femina’s ‘Miss India’ contest Budweiser sponsoring the blimp in American sporting events
- 18. Age How long a brand has been on the market can affect its personality New entrants like Apple , Outlook etc., tend to have younger brand personalities than IBM , India Today etc.,
- 19. Symbol A symbol can be a powerful influence on brand personality since it can be controlled and can have extremely strong associations Some examples… Apple’s bitten apple Nike’s swoosh MetLife’s Peanuts character
- 20. How it creates brand equity? The ways brand personality can create brand equity are summarized by 3 models: The Self-Expression Model The Relationship Basis Model The Functional Benefit Representation Model
- 21. The self-expression model The basic premise is that for some customers, some brands become vehicles to express a part of their self-identity This self-identity can be their actual identity or an ideal self to which they might aspire Apple is perceived as friendly, unpretentious, irreverent and willing to go against the grain This is because Mac is easy-to-use and also due to its symbol, advertising, user groups etc., The use of Apple expresses a personal identity of being non-corporate and creative
- 22. How brand helps express personality? Feelings engendered by brand personality There can be a set of feelings and emotions attached to a brand personality, just as there are to a person The use of such brands can cause feelings and emotions to emerge Feelings, when using a Harley-Davidson or Apple would not emerge when using a Honda or Compaq
- 23. How brand helps express personality? The brand as a badge A brand could serve as a consumer’s personal statement Cars, cosmetics, apparels lend themselves to personality expression because their use occurs in a social context with relatively high involvement
- 24. How brand helps express personality? The brand becomes part of the self The ultimate personality expression occurs when a brand becomes an extension or an integral part of the self The executive who wears Allen Solly on a Friday feels semi-casual and waiting to welcoming the weekend! The potential to create this oneness with some people can represent a significant opportunity for a brand
- 25. The relationship basis model Some people may never aspire to have a certain personality trait but would like to have a relationship with one who has that A trustworthy, dependable, conservative personality might be seen boring but sought nevertheless, from banks or financial products The concept of a relationship between a brand and a person provides a different perspective on how brand personality might work
- 26. The Relationship Basis Model To see how this model works, consider personality types of people with whom we have relationships and the nature of those relationships Spirited, young, up-to-date, outgoing Pepsi On a weekend evening, it might be enjoyable to have a friend who has these personality features
- 27. The Relationship Basis Model Two elements affect individual’s relationship with a brand Relationship between the brand-as-person and the customer Which is analogous to the relationship between two people The brand personality The type of person the brand represents
- 28. Functional benefit representation model The previous two models provide contexts in which brand personality can be the basis for a brand strategy and a link to the customer A brand personality can also play a more indirect role by being a vehicle for representing and cueing functional benefits and brand attributes
- 29. Functional benefit representation model Marlboro’s personality of a macho, freedom-loving, adventurous person suggests that the product is strong Harley Davidson’s personality of a rugged, macho, I-am-different-kind suggests that the product is a powerful, liberating vehicle
- 30. Functional benefit representation model When a visual symbol or image exists that can create and cue personality… … the ability of the personality to reinforce brand attributes will be greater The Energizer rabbit is an upbeat, indefatigable personality who never runs out of energy Just as the battery it symbolizes runs longer than others
- 31. Functional benefit representation model A brand personality that represents a functional benefit or attribute may be relatively ineffective if it lacks a visual image established in the customer’s mind A country or region of origin can add credibility to an identity It can generate a strong personality that provides a quality cue and a key point of differentiation
- 32. To sum up… A brand personality can help a brand in several ways: It can provide a vehicle for customers to express their own identity A brand personality metaphor helps suggests the kind of relationship that customer has with brand Brand personalities serve to represent and cue functional benefits and product attributes well Importantly, brand personality is often a sustainable point of differentiation Sustainable because it is very difficult to copy a personality