"How to Create a Memorable Brand Character That Embodies Your Company"
In today‘s crowded market, having a strong brand is essential for connecting with customers and standing out from the competition. One powerful way to make your brand unforgettable is to create a brand character – a relatable persona that embodies your company‘s personality, values and mission.
What is a Brand Character?
A brand character is the personification of a brand, a fictional figure who represents the attributes, values, and personality of the company. It could be a cartoon mascot, like Kellogg‘s Tony the Tiger, or a live action character, like Progressive‘s perky salesperson Flo.
More than just a marketing gimmick, a brand character is the face of your company. The right character will make your brand feel approachable, engaging and memorable. When done well, people will develop an emotional connection to your brand character that translates into loyalty and affection for your company.
Brand characters have been around for over a century, ever since the earliest advertising mascots like the Michelin Man. Today, as consumers are bombarded by more brands and marketing than ever, a distinctive brand character is a powerful asset for connecting with your audience.
Why Your Company Needs a Brand Character
There are many compelling reasons to create a brand character for your company:
• Differentiate your brand from competitors
• Provide an engaging "face" for your company
• Make your brand feel approachable and relatable
• Create an emotional connection with customers
• Communicate your brand‘s personality and values
• Help people remember your brand
A brand character personifies your brand identity – the fundamental essence of what your company is all about. By expressing your brand‘s personality and values through a relatable character, you make it easy for people to understand and embrace what you stand for.
How to Identify and Develop Your Brand Character
Creating a memorable brand character isn‘t something that happens by accident. It‘s a strategic undertaking that flows from your overall brand identity. Here‘s a step-by-step process to identify and develop your brand character:
Step 1: Clarify Your Brand Identity
Start by crystallizing the key components of your brand identity:
• Mission and values
• Brand personality traits
• Unique value proposition
• Target customer personas
• Brand voice and messaging
You need a strong grasp of who you are as a brand before you can personify that brand identity through a character.
Step 2: Brainstorm Brand Character Concepts
With your brand identity as a guide, brainstorm various character concepts that could embody your brand. Consider a range of possibilities:
• Person or creature? Real or imaginary?
• Funny and exaggerated or more serious?
• Youthful and trendy or mature and classic?
• Edgy and attitude-driven or wholesome and helpful?
The right direction will depend on your brand identity, audience and category. Aim to generate a variety of concepts, from expected to out-of-the-box.
Step 3: Develop Your Brand Character
Take your most promising character concepts and develop them further with additional details like:
• Character name and title
• Visual appearance and style
• Personality traits and quirks
• Typical demeanors and catchphrases
• Character backstory
Flesh out the details that will make your character memorable and well-defined. You want to know your brand character inside and out.
Step 4: Refine Your Brand Character
Review your brand character concepts with key stakeholders and potential customers. Get feedback on which brand characters resonate most and feel like authentic representations of your brand. Prioritize characters that are:
• Distinctive and ownable to your brand
• Authentic expressions of your brand identity
• Emotionally engaging to your target audience
• Versatile for use in different marketing channels
• Enduring and not beholden to short-term trends
Refine your character concepts and zero in on a brand character direction that feels like a natural extension of your brand.
Step 5: Finalize Your Brand Character
Settle on a final version of your brand character and create a full profile and description. Develop official visual designs and style guidelines. Create a "brand bible" that describes how the character should be portrayed in terms of personality, language, behaviors, role, do‘s and don‘ts. Having clear guidelines will ensure your brand character is always represented consistently.
Step 6: Integrate Your Brand Character Into Marketing
With your brand character finalized, strategize how to integrate it into your various marketing channels and customer touchpoints. Use your character in advertising, website, social media, packaging, in-store displays, etc. Have your character engage customers through social media conversations or even interactive chat.
The more consistently you feature your brand character across channels, the more recognizable it will become. When your audience sees your character, they should immediately know it‘s you and grasp the personality and values your brand embodies.
Learning From Leading Brand Character Examples
Many major companies have created memorable brand characters that have become synonymous with their brands. Some notable examples:
Progressive‘s Flo
Played by actress Stephanie Courtney, Flo is the bubbly, retro-styled salesperson who‘s appeared in Progressive ads since 2008. With her 50s vibe, endless enthusiasm and playful banter, Flo embodies Progressive‘s brand promise to keep insurance easy and accessible. Her quirky relatability has made her a beloved advertising icon.
GEICO‘s Gecko
GEICO‘s plucky green gecko has starred in ads since 1999, originally conceived because people kept pronouncing the company name as "gecko." With his cockney accent and dry humor, the gecko embodies GEICO‘s brand promise to save you "15 minutes or more on car insurance." The character‘s popularity has driven immense brand recognition for GEICO.
Planters‘ Mr. Peanut
One of the earliest and most enduring brand mascots, Mr. Peanut has represented Planters since 1916. A dapper gentleman in a top hat, monocle and cane, the anthropomorphic peanut conveys a classic, stylish vibe well-suited to the brand. While his visual style has evolved over the decades, Mr. Peanut‘s genteel charm has remained constant.
M&M‘s Spokescandies
M&M‘s has featured a cast of colorful "spokescandies" since 1954, each representing a different flavor of the candy. The characters‘ appearances, voices and personalities have evolved to keep up with the times, with the female green M&M recently undergoing a rebrand to be less sexualized. The characters‘ exchanges show that M&M‘s doesn‘t take itself too seriously.
These beloved characters demonstrate the power of a well-crafted brand character to make an indelible impression on consumers. The most effective brand characters feel inseparable from the brand identity.
Avoiding Potential Pitfalls
When developing a brand character, watch out for these common pitfalls:
• Inauthenticity: A character that doesn‘t ring true to your brand will seem phony and forced. Root your character in your genuine brand identity.
• Inconsistency: Using your character inconsistently – in looks, personality or messaging – will undermine its recognizability. Follow clear character guidelines.
• Lack of purpose: Don‘t just create a brand character to jump on the bandwagon. Give your character a meaningful role that enhances your brand.
• Short-term thinking: Avoid brand characters that capitalize on fleeting trends. Aim to create an enduring character with staying power.
• Controversy: Steer clear of brand characters that could be perceived as offensive stereotypes. Be inclusive and socially aware.
By sidestepping these pitfalls, you‘ll create a brand character that is an asset, not a liability, for your company over the long run.
An Enduring Investment in Your Brand
Developing a brand character is a significant undertaking, but one that can pay huge dividends in terms of awareness, recall, emotional connection and loyalty. While it requires time and care to craft a brand character that rings true, the effort is well worth it.
A memorable character will make your brand magnetic for customers, who will feel they can relate to your company on a human level. As your character becomes well-known, it acts as a shorthand for your brand personality and values. With a brand character, you won‘t just be another faceless company. You‘ll have an engaging persona your customers will know, like and remember – the ultimate competitive advantage.
