The Softer Side of Branding: Understanding the Nuances of Brand Personalities. - Issue: 2002 Qtr 2
Picture this: a conference room filled with intense execs, huddled around coffee cups, laptops, projectors. White boards crammed with info. Flip charts pasted to every available wall surface. The mood is intense. The goal: define the brand's personality.
What's wrong with this picture? Plenty. Because great brand personalities don't happen in conference rooms 40 floors away from reality. Great brands happen at the intersection of products and customers. And you can't create that in a meeting room.
If you have children (or have family and friends who have children), you've probably been delighted, and often amazed, to watch their personalities develop. The personality of your brand develops in much the same way. It evolves, and it is shaped by the energy, habits and attitudes of the company. And by the people responsible for protecting the core essence of what the brand stands for.
For example, Nordstrom is a strong retail brand. It stands for an unparalleled commitment to service and customer satisfaction. Nordstrom employees understand this in their hearts and souls. They live the brand. Every day.
So now imagine a retailer that doesn't have this reputation: can the executives confer and decide that henceforth their brand will be known for superior customer service? They can decide it, but getting people to believe it is another matter.
Remember, brands live inside our customers' minds (and hearts, too, we hope). Want to understand the "softer" side of your brand – its personality? Get out of the conference room and go talk to customers.
Watch how your company's employees interact with customers and prospects. Maybe even invest in some customer research. You'll get a pretty good feel for your brand's personality. For better or worse. And you'll probably see what needs to be fixed, and what needs to be enhanced and protected.
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