Two Keys to Brand Power Developing Brand Identity and Brand Personality
Two of the key drivers to building brand strength are creating a distinct brand identity and
developing a unique brand personality. Unfortunately, semantics often gets in the way of
understanding how these two factors can influence brand power. Brand identity, for
example, is often used in a limited, graphic-centric manner or used interchangeably with
brand image. All too often, identity is seen as just the graphics, logos, colors, and symbols
that generally make up corporate identity. Those elements are the appearance (which is
very important) but not the substance of a brand, just as the clothes you wear are an
important, even distinguishing, part of your identity, but not the substance of who you are
as a person.
According to Jean-Noel Kapferer, author of Strategic Brand Management, identity
precedes image: "An obsession with image tends to attach greater importance to
appearance than to inner reality. But brand identity is a richer, more substantial concept to
embrace." To help clarify how these concepts differ, Figure 1 presents a detailed
comparison of brand image and brand identity:
As the comparison illustrates, these two concepts are quite different. There’s also a simple
way to sum up and understand the essence of the two terms: image is how the
marketplace perceives you; identity is who you really are. We recommend that companies
focus on building brand identity as the driving brand-strategy component. Brand image is
not to be diminished at all. It is, after all is said and done, how a company is perceived. But
don’t make the mistake of thinking your brand image is your identity. The challenge for
brand strategists and champions is to align image and identity. That happens - and can
only happen - by careful, proactive management of your brand identity components. First,
know what your image is in the marketplace today and how it is not aligned with what your
brand really is or with the identity you desire. Then do what you can to try to fix it with the
resources you have available.
Developing Brand Personality
Another key to building brand strength is developing a unique brand personality. Brand
personality is generally understood as the distinguishing characteristics of the brand, what
some call the persona of the brand. Just like people, all brands have a personality to some
degree. In certain cases, its highly emotional and vibrant; in other cases, its understated or
barely noticeable. Because brand personality is intangible and exists in an emotional
realm, it is often underrated by marketers. That can be a significant oversight. A
recognizable and well-defined brand personality is a key part of a successful brand's
appeal. Often, it's what breaks the tie in the purchase-decision process when all the
rational merits of two competitive products are deemed equal.
Personality is often used interchangeably with terms like brand tone, manner, or character.
Generally, it's expressed in personal or character terms - trustworthy, energetic, assertive,
unpretentious, arrogant, friendly, helpful, and so on. As brands become more familiar to
customers, they tend to take on these human qualities and characteristics, for better or
worse. In addition, personality will come through even if you don’t intend for it to. Since it
can be the best place to create some lasting differentiation, it pays to develop a well
thought-out brand personality description as part of the brand-development strategy.
Brand-personality statements are often created to facilitate a part of advertising
development. In such cases, the statement should reflect and support the overall brand
personality. While advertising is frequently the most visible aspect, it’s not the entirety of
the brand’s personality. Personality comes from many cues around the brand experience.
Packaging, for example, that constantly changes or lacks a quality appearance sets
certain, but unhelpful, expectations about the character of the brand. On the flip side,
packaging can, and should, help communicate and support positive personality aspects of
the brand. The level of responsiveness of customer service also affects brand personality
to a significant degree. Ultimately, nearly every interaction with a customer or prospect
shapes the brand personality.
Personalities can be very differentiating, especially at the corporate level. In today’s
marketplace, corporate-level brand attributes are becoming more and more important in
the purchase process. In the International Data Group (IDG) Wave VI report, Brands and
the Buying Process,research revealed how computer buyers rate various hardware and
software companies on a variety of personality dimensions.
As shown in Figure 2, HP came across as confident, considerate, and human. Intel was
seen as a visionary leader but lacking a softer side, with only a 2% rating on "Down to
Earth/Friendly." Apple stood out, as expected, for its cool and hip attitude. IBM was
perceived with a somewhat split personality, reflecting perceptions of both the
difficult times of the early 1990's and the company's recent resurgence. Compaq was
notable not by any one characteristic but by how low their overall personality profile
registered. The traditional focus on product features gave the company strong associations
with functional attributes but not much of a human side, something the company has been
working on recently (e.g. "Has it changed your life yet?"). Microsoft, not surprisingly,
dominated nearly all of the positive personality attributes for the software companies rated.
One thing that’s important, and perhaps unique to the technology industry is that certain
aspects of corporate brand personality can come from the high-profile company founders.
This presents interesting challenges for technology companies. The most obvious example
is Bill Gates, who's "a brand himself," according to Greg Perlot, Microsoft’s former director
of advertising. In the customer's mind, Gates' strong image and presence also represents
Microsoft. That was part of the reason Microsoft moved more aggressively to shape its
overall corporate brand identity, beginning in 1994. Oracle is another example. As Zach
Nelson, former Senior Vice President for Marketing, says: "Oracle-ness" has been defined
more by default than intent. And it’s been embodied by Larry Ellison. It’s been aggressive,
sales-focused and competitive driven. Now, there’s more of a customer focus coming
through." Again, Oracle is taking proactive steps to manage its brand personality and
identity, rather than accept the current image that exists in the hearts and minds of many
customers and potential customers.
Here are some additional considerations for brand personality development:
• Don’t underestimate the importance of a likable personality. Liking the brands
and all that the brand represents, is an underrated part of the technology purchase
process. As brand identity authority Lynn Upshaw says, "Likability is a key plank in
the bridge that should be built between customer and brand. It’s one of the most
important lures any brand can offer." IBM is trying very hard to present a more
human side to its brand personality (e.g. "Solutions for a small planet") - in part, to
be seen as friendlier and more likable and thus counteract the arrogant image that
was built up in the past.
• Don't underrate brand personality. Personalities in brands, just like in people,
attract certain types of people. Trying to appeal to everybody should be avoided.
Some of the more distinctive brand personalities succeed because they don’t try to
be all things to all people. Gateway is a good example of sticking to and leveraging
a unique "cow-spotted" personality.
• Don’t be misled by research that appears to diminish the role of personality.
Most quantitative research will point out, and rightly so, that functional attributes are
what really drive consideration and purchase. However, those left-brain attributes
also happen to be the easiest to measure in a research setting. It’s tough to get at
the true importance of emotional, right-brain intangibles like personality in structured
research. Yet, we know they make a difference. Qualitative research, however, can
help companies better understand the personalities of brands and the roles they
play.
Ultimately, understanding, developing, and managing brand identity and personality
determine – to a large degree – whether your company achieves brand preference and
loyalty and a sustainable competitive advantage, or merely succeeds at opportunistic sales
(often at a discounted price), and struggles to retain customers and maintain profitability.
So we urge companies to make sure – right from the start – that everything you do is done
in the context of a well-defined brand-identity strategy that clear about who you are, who
you aspire to be (i.e. are becoming) and how you stand out. As David Aaker, author of
Building Strong Brands, says: "One way to be more efficient in marketing is just to do
things right the first time around. It starts with getting the identity right. If you have a brand
identity that works, you’re just monumentally efficient."