n When it comes to brand identify the question isn’t “what” a brand is as much as it’s “who” a brand is. Obviously, to be successful. a brand has to function and fill a need or desire in the marketplace. But that’s just table stakes. It also has to have the ability to draw people to itself. Nothing does that better than human characteristics. Think of it as the people power of personification.
We gravitate towards brands that define and convey human traits. And we are prone to form a longer lasting connection with brands that share the same human traits as those people who resonate, fascinate, inspire, move us, or are just like us.
Brands that project characteristics of real people attract us. After all, it’s hard for a brand to form a chemistry with a market if that brand doesn’t have any human traits that create a reaction. Think about someone you know. The first person that comes to mind is probably holding a memorable place in your psyche. What would be an instantaneous one-word description of that person? Smart? Quirky? Caring? Tough? Sophisticated? Playful? Serious? Now think about how that person speaks, behaves, dresses, and moves. Chances are you can recognize him or her in a crowded room.
Brands that we recognize and are drawn to often possess the same kinds of human characteristics associated with cultural legends who captivated us. Walt Disney, Michael Jordon, Jackie Kennedy, Gloria Steinam, and Prince are just a few of them.
There are also those unforgettable fictional movie characters like Vito Corleone, Scarlett O’ Hara, Luke Skywalker, Mrs. Robinson, Randle McMurphy, or Lara Croft. Their unique personal chemistries are a driving force behind a great story. We also got attached to those characters that came into our homes every week like Pee Wee Herman, Don Draper, Chandler Bing, and Archie Bunker. Not only were they magnetic, but we could count on them to be consistent and remain unchanged We could depend on them to be who they were.
The funny thing is, we don’t actually know these people. In fact, some of them have been dead or disappeared from the media for 50 years or more. Yet their identities are still alive and kicking in our collective memories.
Try this: Think of brand such as Red Bull, Harley Davidson, Ziploc, Sony, or Nintendo. Now, if that brand was a famous person (living or not) or movie or TV character, who would that person or character be who represented that brand? Does that brand grab the biggest marketshare in the category? How did that brands rank on a list of 100 most popular brands in the U.S.? Probably beat the pants off many other brands.
Yep. People Power.