57% of individuals feel they are considerably more loyal to brands that connect with them naturally and genuinely.
Customers prefer brands that show their human side. According to a survey conducted by Forrester Consulting and Braze, 57% of customers are more likely to remain loyal to a brand that shows human, natural, and personal engagement, and more than 40% are more likely to recommend such a brand to their relatives.
The brand personality is a collection of traits (visual, verbal, and behavioral) that a brand may include into its identity and remain committed to, so that consumers feel a sense of familiarity (and not merely) every time they interact with that brand.
Cialdini’s Sympathy Principle: It is human nature to value more those who are part of the same community and with whom we have common interests and values. People are clearly more drawn to and easily persuaded by individuals they like than by those they dislike. This is applicable even in businesses. People like to purchase from companies they have a personal connection with.
Brands must know their consumers extremely well in order to engage on an emotional level, develop connections, and persuade the audience. They must find similarities and common values with them and build a personality based on these common traits.
When dealing with this subject, we like to refer to the 12 main Archetypes of the psychologist Carl Gustav Jung.
These archetypes represent behavioral patterns that exist in each of us and that motivate our actions or the things we believe in.
The 12 Archetypes are:
1. The Outlaw
2. The Magician
3. The Hero
4. The Lover
5. The Jester
6. The Everyman
7. The Caregiver
8. The Ruler
9. The Creator
10. The Innocent
11. The Sage
12. The explorer
The 12 Archetypes are grouped in 4 major categories, based on their common trains and values they believe in:
1. LEGACY (The Outlaw, The Magician, The Hero)
2. CONNECTION (The Lover, The Jester, The Everyman)
3. STRUCTURE (The Caregiver, The Ruler, The Creator)
4. SPIRITUALITY (The Innocent, The Sage, The Explorer)
A brand might be a mix of archetypes, but it must have one that stands out in order to build its brand identity. According to Harvard professor Gerald Zaltman, 95% of our purchase decisions are made subconsciously. So, companies with a strong archetype clearly outlined in the mind of the consumer they connect with, benefit from a significant competitive advantage on the market.
We present a Framework in three easy stages that you may use to develop your Brand Personality!
1. Determine your audience’s qualities (desires, anxieties, and goals) and incorporate them into a dominating archetype.
2. Determine the dominant personality in the industry (it is necessary to differentiate yourself in the market, but only to the extent that the industry permits; you don’t want to cause confusion by being completely different from everyone else on the market).
3. Identify your own attributes and determine your market position (Do you wish to educate the public? Do you want to be commanding and demonstrate your authority? Do you want to be nice and always ready to tell a joke, or passionate and loved by everyone?).
In all circumstances, you will most likely recognize several archetypes. This is the moment to determine the point of intersection between the customer, the market, and your brand and go for a blend that provides both authenticity and market familiarity.
Once you’ve found the right balance of archetypes, you’ll be able to bring your brand to life using verbal identity components (tone, nonverbal communication, content strategy, and copywriting) and visual identity elements (logo, colors, fonts, images). When all of these factors come together, your brand will become the person your audience wants to engage with.
