M2C / Ch. 5 Brand Personality

brand personalities

• set of human characteristics associated with a brand

• example characteristics:

  • demographics: age, gender, social class, race

  • lifestyle: activities: interests, opinions

  • personality traits: extroversion, agreeableness, dependability

• distinctive and enduring

• insights from group differences, ie. comparing users and non users will perceive brands differently

• consumers interact with brands as if they were people

measuring brand personality

dimensions of brand personality:

• sincerity: down to earth, honest, wholesome, cheerful

• excitement: daring, spirited, imaginative, up to date

• competence: reliable, intelligent, successful

• sophistication: upper class, charming

• ruggedness: outdoorsy, tough

creating brand personality

• product related characteristics:

  • product class, package and design, product attributes, price

• non product related characteristics:

  • advertising style and symbols

  • sponsorships and celebrity endorsers

  • uver imagery (typical and idealized users)

  • company image

  • country of origin

  • CEO

  • age

why use brand personality

• enrich understanding of consumer perceptions and attitudes

• differentiate identity

• guide communication efforts across ads, packaging, promotions, etc.

self expression model

brands as a vehicle for expressing self-identity

• actual or ideal self

• brans as expressions of personality and lifestyle

• goods / possessions as sources of meaning and organization to life

brand meanings to construct and sustain social selves

how the brand helps to express a personality

feelings: how the brand makes the consumer feel

brand as a badge: what the brand communicates about the consumer

• personality, values, status, etc.

brans as part of self: how the brand is part of who the consumer is

• lifestyle, identity, the extended self

multiple personalities

• brand preferences vary by situation or context

• stronger effect among high self monitors

brand personality and self expression needs must fit

brand personality effects are larger for visible, involving products like cars and clothes

• to be effective a brand personality needs to be desirable and important enough to matter to the customer, and the person should feel better because of an association with a brand

brand relationship types

brand as a friend

• trust, dependability, understanding, caring

• types: fun, serious, reliable, comfortable

brand as an active relationship partner:

• committed partnerships / best friendships

• casual flings

• arranged marriages

• childhood friendships

• enmities

brand relationship quality dimensions

behavioural ties:

• behavioural interdependence

• personal commitment

emotional, identity connections:

• love and passion

• self-concept connection

• nostalgic connection

perceptions of the relationship:

• intimacy

• partner quality

functional benefit representation model

• brand personality as a vehicle for representing and cueing functional benefits and brand attributes

• symbol or image: reinforces brand attributes

• country or region of origin: adds credibility to an identity

brand personality vs usr imagery

brand personality: human characteristics associated with the brand itself

user imagery: human characteristics associated with its typical or portrayed users

using user imagery strategically

make a brand contemporary

• attract new audiences without abandoning heritage

create a sense of belonging through reference groups

• belonging, recognition, and social identification creates emotional tie

if there’s non- desirable actual user imagery , use aspirational user imagery

brand personality as a sustainable advantage

if there’s unique brand identity, it’s difficult to copy