bank concept will need to be rethought. If the audio components firm is not willing to create innovative products and improve manufacturing quality, a high-end brand may be doomed. If the household cleaning product manufacturer is not willing or able to create a subunit with a real cost culture, then the value market may be a recipe for failure.
THE BOTTOM LINE
There needs to be a brand vision to provide direction, inspiration, and justification to the brand-building effort. The brand-vision model is multidimensional, has core and extended elements, includes an optional essence, is tailored to the brand’s context, is aspirational, and can be adapted to different product markets. A key part of the process of developing a brand vision is to create labels for clusters of aspirational image elements. Identifying strategic imperatives can distinguish “wishful thinking” from realistic aspirations. The next six chapters discuss concepts that can be called on to populate a brand vision.
Chapter 4
A BRAND PERSONALITY CONNECTS
A brand that captures your mind gains behavior.A brand that captures your heart gains commitment. —Scott Talgo brand strategist
What is the worst thing you can say about a person? No personality? Who wants to spend time with someone who is so boring they’re described as having no personality? Better to be a jerk; at least then you’re interesting and memorable. Having a personality is equally helpful to brands.
Brand personality can be defined as the set of human characteristics associated with the brand. Psychologists and consumer researchers have shown conclusively that people often can and do treat objects, from pets to plants to brands, as if they were people, even giving them names. When brands are treated as people, perceptions and behavior are affected. In one study, individuals who were asked to think of creative uses for a brick and were exposed subliminally to an Apple logo instead of a IBM logo, generated more unique ideas. In the same study, subjects behaved more honestly after exposed to a Disney Channel logo vs. an E! Channel logo. The behavior difference in each case was attributed to the power of the personality of the brands.1 Mere exposure to a brand logo prompted individuals to behave in ways consistent to the brand personality.
Not all brands have a personality, or at least a strong, distinctive personality. However, those brands that do have personality have a significant advantage; they are more likely to stand out from the crowd and have a message. Personality is an important dimension of brand equity because, like human personality, it is both differentiating and enduring. Once established, it will provide benefits (or harm) over a long time horizon. Creating or supporting a personality should be part of the brand vision discussion for sure.
BUILDING A BRAND—WHY A BRAND PERSONALITY?
In building a brand, the brand personality construct can help:
Represent and Communicate Functional Benefits
A brand personality can be a vehicle for representing and cueing functional benefits and brand attributes. It can be easier to create a personality that implies a functional benefit than to communicate directly and convincingly that a functional benefit exists. Further, it is harder to attack or copy a personality than a functional benefit, because a personality is based on many elements and usually has been established over time. It is not easily changed. Consider the following examples:
• MetLife, the insurance company, generated a personality represented by the Peanuts characters that provides a warm and humorous dimension to a firm that otherwise would be considered bureaucratic, profit seeking, and impersonal. The personality softens perceptions and makes the aspirational “caring and approachable” dimension come to life.
• The Hallmark-as-person is sincere, sentimental, warm, genuine, wholesome, and ageless as well as competent and imaginative. This personality says much about the Hallmark offerings.
• The Energizer brand, because of its name and its rabbit symbol, is an energetic, upbeat, indefatigable personality who never runs out of energy—just as the battery runs longer than others.
• The Zara personality of being daring, trendy, exciting, spirited, and imaginative affects people’s perceptions of Zara, its stores, and its products.
• Michelin’s strong and dynamic personality, as reflected by the Michelin Man, implies that its tires will have strength and agility.
• Wells Fargo, as represented by the stagecoach, reflects an independent, cowboy type that delivers reliably. Although competitors may actually deliver superior reliability and safety of assets, because of the stagecoach, Wells wins the battle of perceptions.
Provide Energy
A strong brand personality such as that surrounding Mercedes, Porsche, or Jeep can provide energy by adding interest and involvement; it effectively amplifies brand perceptions and experience. Most hotel chains suffer from being undifferentiated and even bland. In contrast, the Joie de Vivre hotel chain created energy with personality-driven hotels around concepts like a neo-deco feel, the rock scene, literary salons of the 1930s, the theater setting, or French Chateau styling. All airlines seem very similar until you consider the energy created by the personality profiles of brands like Singapore, Southwest, and Virgin. Think of the energy surrounding the personality of the AXE brand—the brand as-a-person is obsessed by and successful with attractive women.
Define a Brand Relationship
A brand personality can define a relationship between people. A trustworthy, dependable, conservative personality might be boring, but nonetheless reflect characteristics valued in a financial advisor, a lawn service, or a physician. A personality of a competent leader will be a valued attribute of a CEO or manager. The concept of a relationship between a brand and a person, analogous to that between two people, provides a different perspective on how brand personality might work.2 For example, consider the following relationship metaphors:
• An old-fashioned mother—down-to-earth, honest, genuine, reliable, and always-there-for-you such as Campbell’s Soup or Pepto Bismol.
• A well-liked and respected family member—warm, sentimental, and family-oriented, linked to growing up such as Sun-Maid Raisins, Chevrolet, or a local bank.
• A person who you respect as a teacher, minister or business leader—accomplished, talented, and competent as represented by IBM, McKinsey, or the Wall Street Journal.
• A boss who exercises power or a rich relative—pretentious, wealthy, and condescending, perhaps reflecting for some the personality of the Master’s Golf Tournament, Trump Towers, or Lexus (with gold trim).
• A stimulating companion—interesting with incredible stories such as those of the Dos Equis beer spokesperson who was labeled as the most interesting man who, among other things, speaks Spanish in Russian, bowls overhand, and has inside jokes with strangers.
• A companion for an outdoor adventure—athletic, rugged, and outdoorsy personality, such as REI or Eddie Bauer.
• A weekend fun companion—fun, energetic, and social. Pepsi might be better than Coke.
The last three personality descriptors all involve a type of friend relationship. A friend can also be bar buddies (Miller Lite), caring, or just comfortable to be around. Refining the relationship definition, whether it is a friend relationship or another, can help provide clarity and depth.
Guiding
