The brand persona concept has been gaining strength with the evolution of digital channels and the popularization of social networks.
Large companies realize that their brands are much more than visual logos and need a character that represents them.
In other words: if your business were a person, what would it be like? That’s what the brand persona is all about. Everything about it (style, voice, and language) must refer to the company’s values and purpose to associate the consumer with the brand.
You will better understand the concept and its importance in today’s post. In addition, you’ll learn how to create and plan a brand persona and learn about its main characteristics. Follow!
What Is A Brand Persona, And Why Is It Important?
The concept and construction process is the same as any other persona. You may have already heard about the buyer persona, which represents the company’s target audience, and there is also the customer service persona, for example.
Just as the buyer persona (or simply persona) is the personification of the customer, the brand persona refers to the construction of a character or personality that represents the brand: its values, mission, and essence.
For building a persona, the focus is on the public; the creation of the brand persona should be based on the company. While the logo and the visual identity give a face to the brand, the brand persona, with its way of being, must translate the company’s personality.
In times of digital transformation, in which interaction is increasingly valued — especially in virtual media — it is essential to standardize communication and give it a more human and natural tone.
But the brand persona is not restricted to digital channels. The physical store can also display personalized characteristics that refer to the brand. This is the case at Outback, where the friendly and casual style of the servers is easily identified. A tone of voice, specific language expressions, or a mascot can signal the brand persona.
Disney, for example, uses its first character, Mickey, as a spokesperson. Netflix, on the other hand, does not have a specific one, but the company’s bold personality is manifested by its style of communication, by the references and jokes adopted, and even by gender, placing itself as a female brand persona — Netflix.
How To Plan A Brand Persona For Your Business?
In the same way, a person has traits and characteristics that differentiate him from others; personality and attitude are crucial aspects of a company.
The truth is that, in a globalized world, it is increasingly difficult to differentiate yourself from the competition by price, quality, or convenience. Therefore, identification with the brand can be decisive in the customer’s choice.
Thus, creating a brand persona is a branding demand that requires planning and attention to the brand’s and the company’s fundamental elements.
Brand Pillars
They serve as a starting point for creating the brand persona and summarize the keywords that define the brand: what the company does, its business, its branch, and its product.
It is necessary to define the pillars of the brand and always return to them. The key terms representing the company must be considered in producing content for the website, blog, social networks, ads and campaigns, and communication in general.
Brand Essence
It is usually defined by a short phrase or two or three words that summarize the company’s spirit and must be considered in all products and services.
The essence of Starbucks is “Rewarding everyday moments.” Thus, the company seeks to create unique experiences for consumers through its products, customer service, and various actions, such as the game of writing the customer’s name wrong on a coffee cup.
Other examples are:
- Disney: Fun, Family, and Entertainment;
- Harley-Davidson: Spirit of Life;
- Nike: Authentic, Performance, and Athletic;
Mission
The mission is the purpose for which the company exists besides generating profit. The deeper and more relevant a brand’s mission is, the greater its impact on customers.
But more than having a beautiful mission described on the institutional website is required. It concerns the company’s worldview and needs to be lived and considered in every business decision, including creating the brand persona.
What Characteristics Should A Brand Persona Have?
When creating a brand persona, some characteristics are essential to give it the personality you want. After all, a person’s way of being is defined by many factors, such as their gestures and how they dress, walk, and talk.
Therefore, putting your brand story on paper as if it were a character is interesting. After that, we must stick to the way of expressing ourselves, considering the language that the institution already uses or would like to adopt.
Voice Tone
This is the main feature of constant communication. Therefore, it is necessary to define the tone, that is, if it is funny, informal, formal, educational, friendly, daring, ironic, in short, something that represents your brand, your pillars, essence, and mission.
References
What references does your brand persona use when communicating? She can adopt catchphrases from famous characters, quote well-known authors, and use lines from movies or series. There are a series of resources in this sense to contextualize the brand’s personality.
Others
In addition to the tone of voice and references, several elements are to be defined — such as the way of arguing, the semantic constellation, the slang, and the regionalisms used, among others.
Also Read: Customer communication: why language is so important to the brand
