Brand Character
What Is a Brand Character?
Every trademark has its own nature and values, and every company wants to be recognizable and maintain long-term relationships with its customers. One effective marketing tool to achieve this goal is a brand character—a mascot that makes a trademark more humane and gives it personality traits similar to those of its target audience. A brand character attracts attention to the product, has a positive impact on the brand image, and promotes empathy, trust, and loyalty.
Types of Brand Characters
A brand character can be a human being, an animal, or an imaginary creature. What’s important is that it is always lovable and recognizable. Some of the most famous brand characters are Ronald McDonald from McDonald’s, Red and Yellow from M&M’s, Bibendum from Michelin, or the Marlboro Man.
Brand and Character Legend
Famous brands always have a unique story or a legend—an extended version of their competitive positioning that creates an emotional atmosphere around the company and invites the audience into its communicative space.
Today, the whole world knows about the loving grandfather who allegedly created Pampers or the confectioner who is believed to be the author of Chupa Chups. These stories tap into our emotions and make us trust the brands more.
A brand character is an excellent basis for a fresh and memorable TM legend that can be built around the character’s personality, life, or activities.
Communicating Brand Values and Mission through a Brand Character
The purpose of a brand character is to communicate the concept of a product. To do so, several aspects should be taken into consideration:
