Step-by-step guide to defining a brand’s personality

Defining the personality of a brand means providing human characteristics or traits to the elements that identify a company or organization.

The objective is to achieve a greater connection with the target audience and differentiate the brand from its competitors. specifically linking your value proposition to emotions, values ​​and psychological archetypes.

In this article, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide to defining personality for your brand, as well as key concepts and methodologies that will help you shape how to personify your brand. Let us begin!

Brand personality: definition

They are emotional characteristics and symbolic attributes that are associated with a brand and the behavior it has with its environment and target audience.

The brand concept is not only the name with which a product or service is identified, but it represents a distinctive and unique aspect with which a company is identified in a market and its differentiation strategy is built.

On the other hand, the concept of Personality is defined as the characteristics, qualities, and attributes that are strategically chosen to humanize and give life to a brand’s identity; and at the same time, they are prepared from the opinions of consumers.

It is consumers who tend to project values, emotional appreciation and personality traits to brands. Therefore, these elements will define “your way of being” and act as the basis on which your visual identity will be built, as well as your communication parameters or verbal identity: voice, tone, role and editorial line.

The action of humanizing brands has its origin in marketing, specifically in the area specialized in brand management or branding, which seeks to exalt brands as symbols that reflect cultural, social and emotional meanings that can be shared within Groups of people.

What is not a brand personality?

It is very common to see how it is confused with the visual identity or with other elements that are part of the construction of a brand.

Therefore, a brand personality is NOT:

• an isotype
• A logo
• a slogan
• A typography
• A color palette
• A brand identity manual

Why is brand personality so important?

Defining your brand personality is important because it allows you to:

• Bond emotionally with your prospects and clients.
• Distinguish yourself from the competition.
• Position your brand in the market with a clear and secure vision of your value proposition and the competitive advantage of your company.
• Correctly guide your marketing strategies with the principles of your brand.
• Standardize your visual and verbal identity. This way, any person or marketing agency that is in charge of your branding will know where to direct the strategies.
• Correctly guide your company’s communications in digital and printed media.

Methods to create a brand personality

In the last two decades, different models and methods have been developed to define it. Among them, is the model of brand personality dimensions, developed by Stanford researcher Jennifer Aaker in 1997. Which arises from a consumer study that was carried out in the United States.

In it, they perceived 41 personality traits of various brands that were grouped into the following 5 dimensions:

• Competence.
• Rudeness.
• Emotionality.
• Sincerity.
• Sophistication.

Although this model is an important reference when defining the personality of a brand, in the next few lines we will delve more deeply into the archetype model inspired by the theoretical contributions of Carl Gustav Jung.

The model of archetypes inspired by Jung

Another way to personify your brand is by choosing an archetype. This is a model based on the theory of psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung, which indicates that throughout history, there have been a series of unconscious psychological patterns that have defined various personalities and that can be classified into archetypes.

According to Jung, archetypes are developed by each person based on the experiences of their ancestors.

Therefore, they mark a series of emotional and behavioral patterns that determine the way in which a person processes their sensations, images, perceptions and, finally, develop their personality.

There are many types of archetypes, however, Margaret Mark and Carol S. Pearson, (inspired by Jung’s contributions, popularized archetypes in the world of branding and marketing through their book “The Hero and the Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of Archetypes”

In this book, the authors point out that using these qualities present as symbols in the collective unconscious are very useful, as well as guiding your image and identity.

Below we explain them to you with some examples of brand personalities:

Archetypes related to independence and fulfillment

The wise

Brands such as Google, HP, CNN and Quora. Its objective is to share knowledge and position itself as a reference in its industry. Related brands seek to inspire wisdom, intelligence, education and technological innovation.

Its products promote the exchange and access to information and knowledge. Their messages highlight the importance of data and information to better understand our environment and solve problems.

For example, Google’s slogan in Spanish is “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”

The Innocent

Represented by brands such as Disney, McDonalds and Coca-Cola, This archetype seeks to transmit happiness, simplicity, optimism, friendship, union and trust. Its goal is to help its consumers feel good about themselves and their environment.

Their messages seek to highlight the importance of enjoying the moment, doing things we like and being happy. For example, Disney’s statement translated into Spanish is: “We want to bring happiness to all people of all ages and anywhere in the world.”

The Explorer

Associated with brands such as RedBull, Jeep and The North Face, The archetype of the explorer connects with those authentic, adventurous, free, daring and independent personalities.

Its products seek to help its consumers discover and explore new challenges, places and adventures. Its messages are aimed at motivating you to experience new things or do them differently from the rest. Among them: “There is only one life and you have to live it to the fullest.”

Archetypes related to stability and control

The protector

Attributed by brands such as Nestlé, Johnson & Johnson and Heinz, are brands whose main objective is to help and protect others. They seek to make their consumers feel understood and supported.

Usually, this archetype is related to household and family hygiene products. Its messages are aimed at the care and protection of people, especially towards our loved ones.

They project tranquility, generosity, compassion, altruism and closeness. For example, Johnson & Johnson’s slogan is: “a family business that works for a better world.”

The creator

The creator is an archetype with which brands such as Adobe, Apple and LEGO since they seek to inspire consumers to develop their power of creation and creativity using their products. In turn, these have customizable designs that adapt to people’s tastes.

Their messages seek to project imagination, art, anticipation, originality, perfectionism, self-improvement and freedom of expression: “if you can imagine it, you can create it.” Its strategy is to inspire people to materialize their ideas into artistic products that last over time.

The Leader or governor

This archetype is associated with premium brands whose target audience has a high socioeconomic status. As an example of them is Rolex and Mercedes Benz.

They seek to create an exclusive community united by professional success and the aspiration for power. Their products aspire to be perceived as guarantors of quality and prestige.

Their messages seek to convey leadership, power, control, responsibility, success, exclusivity and prosperity through phrases such as: “power is not everything, it is the only thing”

Archetypes related to communication and fun

The Ordinary Man

Featured by brands like Ikea, eBay, Visaand various supermarkets, this archetype is suitable for brands with generalized targets, whose branding does not seek to be ostentatious but rather simple and easy to understand.

Its products and services are designed for everyday life and seek to provide realistic answers to people’s daily needs and concerns. Also, they are characterized by having affordable prices.

Their messages are based on empathy, equality, common sense and trust: through phrases like “everything you need for your home in one place and at an affordable price.”

The Jester

Represented by brands such as Oreo, Fanta and M&M, The Jester archetype is related to brands that are fresh, fun and inspire their consumers to enjoy life through humor.

Their products seek to generate fun moments and have a good time. Their messages transmit spontaneity, humor, optimism, joy, irreverence, carefreeness and creativity: “Whatever you do, never stop having fun.”

The lover

The archetype of the lover is related to brands that inspire beauty, intimacy, sensuality and passion such as Chanel, Victoria’s Secret and L’Oreal.

Their products aim to make people feel desired. They seek to communicate emotions related to love, self-esteem, desire and fashion. They highlight physical attractiveness, as well as internal beauty in messages such as: “fashion goes out of style, style and beauty never do.”

Archetypes related to risk and excellence

The hero

Featured in brands like Nike, Duracell and Invictus, This archetype seeks to transmit effort, honor and victory, relating to a winning spirit and with characters who overcome challenges, making use of their skills and abilities.

Its products and services are aimed at an audience whose goal is to overcome obstacles or challenges that are difficult to achieve. Their messages seek to be motivational and aspirational: “don’t stop persevering and having a winning mind.”

The Rebel or Outlaw

The Rebel archetype is related to brands that try to break patterns and stereotypes, as well as fight against conventions. Among them stand out: Diesel, Harvey Davidson and Virgin.

Their products and services aspire to be extravagant and irreverent, as they seek to represent social groups that want to be different and break with common norms. Their messages convey debauchery, rebellion, irreverence, extravagance, disruption and innovation: “Rules were made to be broken.”

The magician

The magician is an archetype that is related to spiritual personalities, self-confident, charismatic and who seek to transform dreams into reality; as well as problems in solutions.

It partners with inspiring, visionary, imaginative, dreamy and emotional brands such as eir products and messages to invite their consumers to believe in themselves to turn their dreams into reality.

Although both models can help you define the personality of your brand, there are other elements that you should consider previously. We show you:

Steps to define the personality of a brand

Before presenting the elements that you should consider when defining the personality of your brand, keep in mind that as a company or corporation you can manage a variety of brands and for each of them, it is important that you define a particular personality.

They do not necessarily have to be different from each other, especially if they share target audiences and if their mission or vision are similar, but it is important to associate each brand with a dimension or archetype that can provide it with specific emotional attributes.

1. Build your story (storytelling)

The first thing you should do to establish your brand personality is…. Get to know her more! To do this, we invite you to create a summary of your story, preferably in a storytelling format, in which you make clear:

• What date was the brand founded?
• Who was behind the creation process?
• What were the reasons, circumstances or factors that inspired you to create it.
• In what context did it arise and why?
• What have been its transformations over the years?

2. Establish your value proposition

The value proposition is a promise to deliver. It is the main reason why a consumer or prospect will prefer to purchase a product or service from your brand and not from your competition.

To define this promise, you must make clear:

• Who is your target audience and specifically your buyer persona?
• How your product or service solves or improves a specific situation or problem
• How your product or service meets a need
• What are the benefits they offer to your prospects and clients?
• Why they should prefer your brand or company and not another

Having these elements in mind, you will be able to define a personality that stands out from your competition and connects with the promise to be delivered.

3. Express your mission and vision

The mission is a written statement in which you describe the reason for your brand and company, as well as its main objective.

Among the main questions that you must answer when establishing your mission are: who are we? why do we exist? what is our purpose?

On the other hand, the vision contemplates the goals that your company or brand wants to achieve in the future: where do I want to go? What do you want my brand and business to become in the long term?

Both elements, inherent to your management philosophy, are key to defining the personality of the brand that is in line with your competitive advantages and with those you want to add to the value proposition of your brand in the future.

4. Identify the brand values

Values ​​are qualities by which a subject or object is appreciated or considered. Among them, we can mention: respect, responsibility, perseverance, empathy, tolerance and loyalty.

When values ​​are used in a business environment, they work to build an organizational culture in which all of the organization’s activities are aligned with its values.

The definition of brand personality is one of those key activities in which the definition of values ​​plays a key role since these influence the way in which a brand conceptualizes its management philosophy and, in turn, the way in which consumers perceive it.

The function of values ​​is to unite, inspire and guide the company’s behavior, allowing employees and customers to connect emotionally with the brand.

In this sense, the importance of defining values ​​lies in the fact that people usually purchase products and/or services that belong to those brands with which they consider they share the same values ​​or that have elements in common.

To identify the values ​​of your organization and, in turn, your brand (if you have not yet defined them), we recommend asking yourself, together with your team:

• What do we represent?
• What do we value most?
• What do we believe as a company?
• What do we like and why?

After selecting your values, you must define them very well. It happens that brands like Apple, Nike and 3M highlight “innovation” as one of their values, but the way in which they perceive and define said value changes.

In the case of Apple, innovation is related to design and ease of use while for 3M it translates to the use of ingenious technologies and the creation of unique solutions.

5. Characterize your brand

An important action is to characterize the brand, in the same way as how a buyer persona is built. This means attributing human attributes such as:

• Age
• Level of study
• Civil status
• Tastes
• Interests
• Hobbies
• Needs
• Motivations
• Fears
• Values

This will help you choose the personality that connects with these attributes and guide the verbal identity (communication principles) of your brand.

6. Choose your brand personality

After consolidating your story, target audience, value proposition, mission, vision and values, you are ready to choose the ideal dimension or archetype to personify your brand.

You can choose one of the two methods that we explain to you. In the case of Jennifer Aaker’s dimension model, select between 3 to 5 adjectives (personality traits) that you consider connect perfectly with your brand when someone thinks of it.

The adjectives (traits) you choose will fall into one of the 5 personality dimensions. For example, the daring or adventurous enter the dimension of “emotionality”. The adjectives “reliable” and “intelligent” enter the dimension of competence. and so on.

What you do have to take into account is that the adjectives you choose cannot be contradictory and must belong to the same dimension. The same thing happens if you lean towards using Jung’s model of archetypes.

Ideally, you should choose one only based on the characteristics that you consider best define your brand.

In conclusion, it is important that before defining the personality of your brand you do a little research that helps you get to know yourself and be clear about your value proposition (what you sell and what its benefits are), the personality of your target audience, your mission (who you are), your vision (where you want to go) and your values ​​(principles and beliefs)

Then, you can apply the models developed to humanize the brands and within them, find which one best suits your values, your objectives and the way you want to relate to your customers.