What is Your Brand's Personality (Strategy)

Hello, I’m Marianne Tenenbaum, Branding Strategist, for Once a Day Marketing™.  Today we are looking at brand personality.

When colleagues think of you, what comes to mind? Are you seen as smart, friendly, adventurous, trustworthy or engaging?  Your personality traits are what draw people to you; the same is true of the brands we embrace.  Brands have personalities just like people do and their characteristics are the things that differentiate one brand from another in the minds of consumers.

Jennifer Aaker conducted one of the first and most comprehensive studies related to brand personality and defined these five dimension and traits included in each:

•          Sincerity – Domestic, honest, genuine, cheerful
•      Excitement – Daring, spirited imaginative, up to date
•      Competence – Reliable, responsible, dependable, efficient
•      Sophistication – Glamorous, pretentious, charming, romantic
•      Ruggedness – Though, strong, outdoorsy, rugged

 Examples: the Mercedes Benz brand is perceived as sophisticated, Harley-Davidson as rugged and Hallmark cards as sincere.

Customers gravitate to brands the same way they gravitate to people; based on traits they value.  Review your brand and identify its personality traits.  Some brand personality traits are innate but you have the ability to change your personality, if desired.  Through a strong and consistent branding effort, you will be able to influence your brand identity to be more spirited, glamorous, strong or whatever characteristic you would like the marketplace to perceive.

Once a Day Marketing™ positions brands to become #1 in the minds of target customers.  Visit our website at www.onceadaymarketing.com.  Contact Marianne Tenenbaum at (505) 699-7849 or email mten@onceadaymarketing.com.  Listen to Ask Those Branding Guys™ every Monday at 11:00am (MDT) streaming live on SantaFe.com KVSF 101.5 FM.

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