Concept In Marketing Is The Brand Personality Marketing Essay

Published Date: 23 Mar 2015

Introduction

One interesting concept in marketing is the brand personality. The latter pertains to the idea that products and services have inherent characteristics that are imposed by the consumers but more importantly by marketers. Brand personality supports consumers to engage in those brands. In fact, brand personality serves as a crucial part of a company's marketing program, either local or global (Yongjun, Jooyung & Jong-Hyuok 2010). This paper intends to analyse brand personalities of different cars.

Brand Personality: Literature Review

What is Brand Personality?

Branding is becomes increasingly significant as companies encounter an increasing globally competitive markets. Branding remains as an instrument for differentiation based on the kind of market and the brand positioning. Most valuable constructs and measurements have created to support branding such as brand trust, attachment and brand personality. Consumers employ specific brand in order to affirm and sustain their identity. Unlike other product attributes that are often functional, brand personality often have symbolic function, which can be intended for self-expression, whether of the brand itself and of the one who consumes the brand (Bouhlel, Mzoughi, Hadji & Slimane 2009).

The brand personality refers to inanimate objects that connect with personality's lines as an outcome from interactions that the consumer has with it or through marketing campaigns (Bouhlel, Mzoughi, Hadji & Slimane 2009). This concept is created to improve the appeal of a brand to consumers. To recognize personality of a brand, one should ask, "What does the brand to be like for by customers?"A brand personality can be an actual person, (cowboy in the Marlboro commercial), a generalized persona (a Japanese girl) or an animated image (Ronald Mc Donald). On the other hand, in many cases, a brand personality consists of a brand's underlying feature (Levi's conventional rugged character) or transfer of user imagery (Van Gelder 2005 p.41).

An effective brand personality influences buying behaviour among consumers as well as patronage and it also creates emotional ties, trust and attachment with the brand. People's emotional attachment to brand might forecast their commitment to the brand as well as their eagerness to make financial sacrifices to acquire it (Bouhlel, Mzoughi, Hadji & Slimane 2009). Consumers often consider brands as persons or characters but not in ordinary life. Instead, consumers usually perceive brands as allegory to specific characters or images.

Studies about the personality psychology have recognized the Big Five human personality dimensions or traits. Likewise, same research was made to establish brand personality dimensions. The authors behind the research have recognized three broad brand dimensions of personality that are often constant such as sincerity, sophistication and excitement. However, some brand personalities might be perceived differently across culture, for instance, perception towards passion is unique in Latin Culture (Van Gelder 2005 p. 42).

Brand personalities can be culture specific. For instance, Bacardi is very much known for its Cuban heritage, Seat has Spanish heritage while Alta-Romeo has Italian image. However, even though Bacardi is presented as Cuban Heritage, it became successful in non-Latin countries such as Europe. It only confirms that brand personality clearly serve as an expression component, an important tool in manager's toolbox, instead of simply being an expression element (Van Gelder 2005 p. 42).

Oftentimes, brand personality are obtained from mission and goals described by business strategy, which serves as mission and vision for the brand. A financial institution that tries to become a reliable institution may show a brand personality that shows relevant competence traits. A mobile phone firm who wants to show that they are an innovative firm use a brand personality of sophistication. However, brand personality can also be influenced by its organisational culture, stories and traditions (Van Gelder 2005 p. 43).

Nevertheless, according to Ellwood (2002 p. 132), whether brand personality is influenced by several factors or represents a specific culture, it should serve as a best medium that communicates brand proposition to the target market. In other words, it should not necessarily represent the culture or image of the target audience; instead it should represent an image or personality that could attract the target audience and encourage them to purchase the brand (Ellwood 2002). This is the reason why Cuban heritage can also be attractive to non-Latin societies. Obviously, Cuban Heritage does not represent their non-Latin target market (Van Gelder 2005 p. 43).

Brand personality should be shown as a person or character since this is the easiest for the target market to understand and embrace. People have considerable experience in dealing with human relationships and addressing personality differences. They are capable of distinguishing between minimal differences in brand personalities and establish their loyal and disloyal relationship with them (Ellwood 2002, p.133).

Brand Themes and Brand Narrative

Brand theme refers to conceptual driver which connects all the brand message's elements of a brand personality. Effective brands are often successful in creating all types of media and dimensions of the brand to match with the brand theme. In other words, brand theme simply represents the expression of brand personality (Ellwood 2002, p. 133). One good example is the Whiskey brand called Glenfiddich. The latter has created a solid brand personality whose main theme is Highlands of Scotland, which can be revised in order to represent different aspects of Scottish culture.

For instance, the Highlands of Scotland theme can represent either craftsmanship or the natural beauty of Scotland. The craftsman's theme aspects involve the craftsmanship behind whiskey making through presentation of furniture carving or how fish flies are made. The natural beauty theme often shows the enchanting scenery of Scotland during spring and summer, vivid colours of the autumn and the magnificent snow covered mountains during winter. The attractive sceneries of blue and greens can be highlighted while the freshness of mountain water and air can be sensed and tasted (Ellwood 2002, p. 134).

Furthermore, the brand proposition should remain unchanged. However the brand theme should be changed to remain up to date in a varying competitive environment. A brand narrative pertains to a story how a brand personality slowly changes as it moves through consumer culture. Being a story, anyone could trace the origins of brand personality as it undergoes transformation (Ellwood 2002, p. 135). This could also help consumers to align their preference with the brand. The value of brand narrative is that consumer can look forward to the brand personality. One good example is the brand narrative how Bill Gates changed the brand themes of Microsoft (Ellwood 2002, p. 135).

Brand Experience

The best approach in generating brand personality is the brand experience. This involves incorporation of brand identity and branded service, which will result to branded memory (Ellwood 2002, p.135). Brand experience could be in a form of advanced security system (branded service) of Mercedes Benz (brand identity) or wireless technology of Apple Laptops. Brand experience is capable of developing the crucial emotional attachment between customer and the brand (Mathieson 2005, p. 150).

Pitfalls in Creating Brand Personality

Assigning Brand Personality to Someone Outside the Organization

The brand personality should serve as an accurate depiction of the organisation; if not, the company is only creating a brand personality according to other's personality. This notion does not disregard the importance of ad agencies, design firms and brand consultants. On the other hand, their role should be described cautiously. External ad agencies should only help the organisation to come up with a brand personality that could be described as their "own" and not the personality of external ad agencies (Moser 2003 p. 70).

Changing the Brand Personality when the Audience Change their Message

This might sound contrary to what have been discussed earlier by Ellwood (2002, p. 134). However, Ellwood simply pointed out that brand themes can be changed as long as it adheres to brand proposition. Meaning Glenfiddich still remain on their brand proposition called Scotland and different brand themes only shown the different aspects of Scotland and not of the other country. In this sense, Moser (2003 p. 70) might want to emphasize that if Glendiffich presented their brand as Scottish whiskey, then presenting different aspects of Scottish culture does not necessarily mean they are changing their brand personality since they stay on anything Scottish.

One good example of changing personality is the politicians. They often change themselves on what the audience what to see. If they are in front of the young audience, they became rowdy and loud but if they are in front of senior citizens, they became thoughtful and traditional. As much as possible, companies should not change their brand personality but they could present different themes that adhere to that personality. One good example is Nokia mobile phones. Since mobile phones market is broad, Nokia had created a brand personality that could satisfy the broad market without changing their brand personality− "connecting people." The company has been consistent in presenting the same brand personality in different nations whilst satisfying the varying needs of target market (Nokia 2010, Moser 2003).

In this sense, if a company caters to a broad market like mobile phone companies, it would be prudent for a company to create a brand personality in which a global market can relate. In this manner, there would be lower chances of changing brand personality.

Selecting Reasons why Consumer Should Buy the Product

People are overloaded with much information they received from the mainstream TV, newspapers and the internet. Similarly, people are also bombarded with several claims from the different companies regarding their brands, which could easily go away especially if the claims tend to be rational and similar to other competitors. In this sense, companies should try to set aside rational reasons why people should purchase the product. Rational reasons tend to change because people often receive new information and this would influence their purchasing behaviour. In this sense, it might be advisable to choose a reason that could be not be influenced by new information (Moser 2003, p. 72).

For instance, the brand should capture people's emotional reasons when buying. As brand grows and develops, rational reasons often come and go but the human being's emotional reason often stays. A brand personality should create emotional bond between the consumer and the brand. If the consumer has strong emotional bond with the brand, even though they receive conflicting information, they would stick to that brand (Moser 2003, p. 72).

Developing an Idealized yet Unrealistic Personality

Unrealistic brand personality that is often too good to be true, often emerge when marketing people try to brainstorm. One good example is a company that claims they possessed the aggressiveness of Ted Turner, humility of Mother Theresa and the foresight of Alan Greenspan. However, that same company did not make any improvements in order to acquire those characteristics, simply because they are impossible to attain (Moser 2003, p. 73).

Aggressiveness of Turner could be more realistic, but the integration of humility of Mother Theresa and foresight of Greenspan is clearly unrealistic. Instead of using popular figures outside the company, they could try to use well-respected people inside the organisation such as the founders. One good example is when Apple Company emphasizes Steve Jobs' personality. If the company does not have any relevant figures that could be used to present their personality, they could employ organisational traits that the company emphasized such as innovativeness (electronics), elegance (Cadillac) or timely delivery (UPS) (Moser 2003, p. 73).

The Use of Colour

Consumers tend to associate colours with brand personality; for example, Coca Cola choose Red since it portrays excitement while Black may portray luxury. In this sense, the company should determine what different colours means to their target market since perceptions may differ in various places (Schiffman & Kanuk 2004).

Brand Personalities of Chosen Organisations

Mercedes Benz

Mercedes Benz has a luxury 'brand' personality and serves as status symbol for the wealthy. The said brand is very much known to their three pointed star and has served as a symbol for luxury. The brand often uses specific colours that represent luxury, refinement, sophistication, respect, affluence and authority. These colours include metallic blue, silver and metallic black and white. They also employ other colours like red to cater those upscale customers who prefers excitement (Mercedes Benz 2010, Schiffman & Kanuk 2004).

Since the company has a broad upscale market, they attempt to introduce the brand in many ways (brand themes) without sacrificing their brand proposition (luxury, satisfying the upscale market). Mercedes Brand Themes can be called as sub-brands, which can be found under different categories. The company offers several categories of automobiles such as sedans & coupes, SUV & Crossovers & Roadsters and Supercars. Different categories portray different brand themes that adhere to the upscale image of Mercedes Benz. For instance, their Sedans and Coupes have C, L, S, CL and CLS while SUVs and Crossroads have R, GLK, M, GL and G. They described E-class as "bold new styling, class leading safety and trailblazing technology in a full size sedan with a history of defining future." Even Mercedes Benz was able to introduce crossovers and off road SUVs based on their brand personality through the simplicity of design (which is they are usually known for) and the colour they used (Mercedes Benz 2010).

However, the global crisis also forced Mercedes Benz to make some small changes in their product offerings, which eventually influence their brand personality. The recent crisis forced the upscale market to consider their purchases and Mercedes Benz had no other choice but to offer an affordable luxury car (also known as near luxury), particularly the C-class. But despite this shift, they introduced C-class as" a car with equal parts race and refinement in a mid size sedan that delivers full size luxury safety and performance of Mercedes Benz." Therefore, they only made a new brand theme (e.g. introduction of near luxury car) that did not affect brand personality (MSN Autos 2010, Mercedes Benz 2010). While Mercedes Benz was able to provide near luxury car and sustain luxury image, they should limit providing such product; for instance, they should limit it to the C-class. Otherwise, this might ruin the brand proposition of Mercedes Benz as a car with status symbol (Ellwood 2002, p.135, Mercedes Benz 2010).

Other car companies are also capable of providing similar innovative services, design and security and more importantly, the status symbol such as Cadillac. These capabilities might threaten Mercedes Benz's status and eventually, customers' trust towards the brand. As suggested earlier, since human beings are capable of realizing the differences between people, they are also capable of realizing the differences and similarities among car brands and create loyal and disloyal relationship. In this sense, in order to sustain loyalty of their customers, Mercedes should offer a unique value that could improve brand experience (Mathieson 2005, p.150).

The company should offer services beyond the typical energy efficiency and green initiatives that other cars also offer such as car with sensors that release signals so that the car will stop automatically in order minimize accidents. This could also be a car that has an artificial intelligence. Luxury in Mercedes Benz should not be limited to form (e.g. interior design, colour and style), but is should also possess substance (e.g. advanced security or useful artificial intelligence that affordable cars do not possess) that effectively sustains status symbols. These suggestions will clearly improve the brand experience it provides to customers (Mathieson 2005, p. 150, Mercedes Benz 2010) and will truly differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Cadillac

Cadillac is a luxury brand car of General Motors. While Mercedes Benz represents luxury and status symbol, Cadillac represents a brand that combines luxury, elegance and performance. Similar to Mercedes, Cadillac also uses colour that generally represent luxury and upscale market. Cadillac indeed offers more elegant designs than Mercedes Benz, which means they are indeed true to their brand personality. Elegance clearly make Cadillac unique compared to Mercedes. Similar to Mercedes, Cadillac also offers the expected performance in a luxury vehicle (Cadillac 2010, Schiffman & Kanuk 2004). However, as suggested earlier, Cadillac should also try to improve brand experience and ensure that they should be two to three steps ahead from other car companies that offer similar styles and capable of providing the innovative services (Mathieson 2005, p.150).

Mazda

While Mercedes Benz serves as a status symbol, Mazda's new brand personality emphasized the notion called youth. Mazda also belongs to the affordable category. Because they represent youth, Mazda use colours that may represent the excitement and easygoing youngster such as Red and Green but they also use the colours of Mercedes Benz (Schiffman & Kanuk 2004). While Mazda's car designs represent the youth, they are not yet successful in implementing such brand identity and most people still considers Mazda as simply as affordable car. One basic reason is that Mazda's car designs are also used in other brands, which also caters both youth and adults. Second reason is the brand experience. Mazda did not emphasize what kind of brand experience that truly represents their new brand identity and that could create emotional attachment between the youth and Mazda (Mazda Establishes Its Identity with New Branding 2009, Marketing Strategies 2010).

Third, most of its latest advertisements for North America did not show any 18 years old or young adults driving Mazda (Youtube 2010, Van Gelder 2005 p.41). It can be considered Mazda as car for the young adults because of its price but not because of the brand experience. Unless they could present such brand experience and use 18 year olds to their commercials, it would be prudent to stay in 'affordable car identity' or they could use other relevant identity other than the youth (Mazda 2010).

Conclusion

This paper analysed brand personalities of different cars including Mercedes Benz, Cadillac and Mazda. Mercedes Benz has a luxury 'brand' personality and serves as status symbol for the wealthy. However, since Cadillac also offers the same brand identity, Mercedes Benz should offer a unique value to their customers to differentiate themselves from Cadillac. This might include more advanced security to improve brand experience. Mazda also recently engaged in changing their brand identity into a more youthful one. However, they are not successful in implementing such brand identity due to their advertisements and lack of brand experience that could create emotional attachment between Mazda and the youth.