As a manager, chances are you’re always looking for ways to increase the effectiveness of marketing and advertising campaigns. Here’s a common oversight that can lead to wasted efforts:
Excellent results rely on proper infrastructure.
Brand character is one of the key components, and almost all businesses should consider it when building their brands to increase the likelihood of success in their campaigns.
In this blog, we will introduce you to the concept of brand character, its difference from brand mascot, and how to use brand character in marketing branding.
First and foremost, a solid definition is required.
What is brand character?
A brand character is simply a character that represents a brand. It can be a real person, animal, or stylized brand mascot.
You have probably encountered a visual or conceptual representation of a brand several times before. These representations embody the brand’s personality, values, and identity.
Simply put, these representations, which we will call brand character from now on, are powerful tools for businesses to communicate with their audiences in a more engaging, creative, and memorable way.
We are human, and we prefer characters over brands!
However, they go beyond this basic goal and can be used in various marketing and advertising efforts, ranging from packaging to social media dominance or acting as a virtual influencer.
After understanding the brand character definition, let’s review its key features:
They have Conceptual representation
Brand characters do not necessarily come in physical or animated forms; the main property is that they’re more conceptual and embody all brand values.
They carry brand Personality and identity
As mentioned earlier, a perfect brand character inherits the exact personality and identity the founders defined in branding.
Highly versatile in marketing
Brands leverage their respective brand characters in various marketing efforts, including promotional and digital marketing campaigns.
Let us emphasize that such representations do not always take a physical or tangible (to be exact) form. In some circumstances, they just represent the brand’s core essence, such as the Marlboro Man, which we’ll discuss further in this blog.
We must now clarify the differences between brand characters and Brand Mascot.
Brand Character vs. Brand Mascot
Let’s begin this way:
All mascots are brand characters, but not all brand characters are necessarily brand mascots. Considering this fact, mascots are categorized as a form of brand character.
In other words, we can consider brand character a broader concept that includes any type of representation that embodies and conveys a business’s personality, identity, and values.
As stated earlier, brand characters don’t always appear in physical or animated form. On the other hand, a mascot must be portrayed in a way that brings the creation to life. The mascot’s objective is to represent the brand more tangibly and engagingly.
Therefore, brand characters can be a simple concept or a well-defined person in mind, while the mascot must be a tangible existence that is animated, anthropomorphized, etc.
The latter usually comes in handy as the spokesperson of the brand and provides audiences with a direct way to interact with the business.
Now, let’s shift our focus on each of their goals and what businesses can expect from them.
The main subject of this blog, brand character, typically solely focuses on building a strong emotional connection between the brand and its follower base, customers, target audiences, etc. As discussed above, these representations embody and convey a brand’s traits and values, and as a result, they can help remind people of their respective brands.
On the other hand, brand mascots usually care about raising brand awareness and are built to offer fun, creative, and engaging communication methods.
In terms of marketing, brand characters are more helpful for efforts such as storytelling, as they are conceptual and intended to leave a lasting impression on audiences.
In general, wherever highlighting the brand’s values and personality is needed, the brand character enters as a hero.
Mascots must be used whenever marketing efforts consist of visuals because their tangible and memorable nature aligns with the requirements of advertising, packaging, events, etc.
In essence, brand characters are conceptual existences that go deeper and represent a brand’s inner values and identity. In contrast, brand mascots, considered a form of brand characters, are visible, tangible, and superficial. They serve a business’s marketing goals and even act as the brand’s spokesperson.
Let’s move ahead and discuss another similar term and examine its differences with the topic of this blog.
Brand Character vs. Brand Archetype
Up until now, you have fully understood the brand’s character meaning. Now, it’s time to compare this concept with Brand Archetype. The latter is always conceptual and doesn’t take physical form, no matter what. On the contrary, as discussed earlier, brand characters sometimes appear as brand mascots, which are more visual rather than abstract.
Brand archetypes began in the 1940s when the famous psychologist Carl Jung defined them. They’re a set of emotional, behavioral, and psychological traits that precisely define a brand’s core identity and aid businesses in speaking, acting, and connecting with their audiences in a way that represents the brand correctly. Some examples of archetypes are The Hero, The Caregiver, and The Rebel.
In addition to form and tangibility, which we examined as differences in this regard, brand character, and archetype also differ in terms of purpose and role.
Unlike the character designed to act as the face of the brand and aim to create a memorable image, brand archetypes influence inner personalities and traits, such as the brand’s voice, messaging, and even tone.
Simply put, archetypes shape the strategy that defines how brands should interact with their audiences. Meanwhile, the brand character is about creating a conceptual or physical persona or figure that directly connects with people according to terms defined by the archetype.
From the marketing perspective, the brand archetype is a strategic guide that orients all efforts in the right direction. On the other hand, brand characters are responsible for making the brand visible and doing as the brand archetype defines.
Earlier in the blog, we mentioned that brand character is a broader concept than brand mascots. However, when the brand archetype is on the other side of the comparison, the brand character becomes narrower since archetypes are much bigger and impact several aspects of the brand’s identity.
Generally speaking, brand character and archetype are distinguished concepts with more differences than similarities.
Let’s review some examples to ensure you properly comprehend the meaning of brand character.
5 Examples of Brand Character
Let’s review some top examples of brand characters in this section of the blog.
Marlboro Man
The Marlboro Man, which is clearly the brand character of Marlboro, was introduced in 1954. He is a rugged cowboy who embodies masculinity, which resonated well with the patriarchal society of that era.
The goal was to reposition this brand as the robust choice for males as the ultimate choice for cigarettes.
Geico Gecko
We already talked about Geico Gecko several times in our previous blogs. This example is among those that are brand mascots and characters simultaneously. Geico, a friendly gecko representing an insurance company, was introduced to the public in 1999.
Its distinguished behavior, alongside the British accent and other minor details, made this mascot a memorable character that perfectly represents the company it belongs to.
Mr. Clean
What does a cleaning product manufacturer need to foster a deep connection with its audiences? A fabulous character who embodies their values and depicts the importance of cleanliness very well. Procter & Gamble took the same approach and ended up being successful.
They wisely named the character Mr. Clean—a strong, bald, muscular man who embodies cleanliness.
The goal was to show their target audiences that their products are one-of-a-kind and effective at eliminating dirt.
Betty Crocker
Over a hundred years ago, Washburn-Crosby company, now called General Mills, introduced a fictional woman who has been serving the brand for decades and personified its baking products.
Even though Betty Crocker’s image has evolved constantly over the years, she has always fantastically represented the reliability of the firm and home-cooked goodness.
One of our designed brand mascots: Sleepy Bear
Travelodge reached out to us with their cherished mascot, Sleepy Bear, who has been the warm and comforting symbol of the brand for a remarkable 70 years. The brand had ambitious plans for Sleepy Bear, aiming to transform it into a more adventurous character that reflects Travelodge’s evolving brand ethos. They sought to modernize Sleepy Bear’s look and incorporate a contemporary version of the character into their marketing and branding strategies.
Moreover, Travelodge is dedicated to sustainability and has adopted numerous eco-friendly practices across its properties, including energy-efficient lighting, water-saving measures, and recycling programs. The updated mascot was designed to play a key role in highlighting and promoting these sustainability efforts.
Read more about Sleepy Bear’s mascot work.
How to Create a Brand Character
Recall the brand character definition. It represents the brand’s values and identity. Therefore, the brand identity, missions, and goals need to be defined prior to any action.
Assuming these critical actions are taken care of, you must acquire comprehensive knowledge about your business’s target audience. After all, the brand character is going to foster a connection with those people, so you should know their demographic information and gather data about their interests, values, and lifestyles.
The operational phase begins after the required infrastructure for the Brand character design is set.
Conceptualizing is the first step. This is where you must determine the character’s role, whether it will be a mascot, a spokesperson, or a figure that you can use for various purposes.
Afterward, it’s time to start visualizing the character. This step needs professionals in the field to take responsibility and create a well-crafted character with the style of your choice.
Since the character is considered the brand’s envoy, embodying and conveying its values, it is crucial to care about consistency with the brand’s image in all phases. Here, the creation of the character finishes; however, the whole task is an everlasting process.
Even if you succeeded in making an excellent brand character, you can’t neglect the importance of monitoring it continuously and adjusting the required changes from time to time.
The character is going to serve your business in marketing and advertising, so it’s normal that what you created now won’t be useful in the next decade.
If we decide to list the stages of creating a brand character, these would be the phases you should pass through:
- Reviewing brand identity and its core values.
- Understanding the target audience and their preferences.
- Conceptualizing the character with full details, including the character’s universe, tone, personalities, behavior, etc.
- Creating the character’s profile and adding depth to the outcome.
- Designing the character creatively and investing in unique visuals
Overall, creating such brand assets is not straightforward. Therefore, if you have no prior experience in this regard, outsourcing the whole process is the best advice we can give you.
In the next section, we’ll explore ways that these characters can be helpful for marketing and advertising.
Brand Character Usages in Marketing and Advertising
Brand characters are great tools for personifying the brand’s identity in marketing and advertising. As stated earlier, these assets can foster a deep connection with target audiences, which is crucial to increasing the likelihood of marketing campaigns’ success.
Improve brand recognition
They’re effective in enhancing brand recognition. By using them continuously across various channels, you’ll ensure people will recall your brand as soon as they encounter the character.
Moreover, since the character embodies specific brand traits, it can evoke certain emotions in people. This leaves a lasting impression, which is critical for creating a memorable brand image.
Enhance Brand differentiation
A well-crafted brand character is capable of distinguishing your business from its competitors in the market. Chances are several businesses offer the same products and services, which you must differentiate your brand from. This way, you’ll be able to plan to increase sales and the profitability of your business.
In previous blogs, we’ve discussed the effectiveness and importance of great storytelling many times. The good news is that perfect brand characters will facilitate this process and help businesses create an attention-grabbing story. Such creations act as well-known characters people love to encounter and listen to. Therefore, increasing storytelling influence will be accomplished.
If created strategically, brand characters can help you better attract the exact target audience you want to grab their attention.
We explained that before developing the character of your brand, the proper infrastructure, including acknowledging the preferences of the target audience, needs to be set. This ensures that the outcome will appeal to those people faultlessly and help your business achieve its marketing and advertising objectives.
Increase customers loyalty
Lastly, correctly leveraging Brand character in marketing helps your business turn regular customers into loyal ones who’ll eagerly promote and defend your brand against accusations. This is a significant achievement that takes businesses miles ahead.
Let us emphasize the importance of creating a good, well-thought-out character. Only excellent brand characters can bring these benefits.
Let’s wrap up the blog.
Don’t You Know Where to Start? We’ll Create Your Brand’s Character
Developing a flawless brand character isn’t easy, especially considering that reaping its benefits is heavily dependent on its quality and alignment with the brand’s core identity and values.
If you don’t want to waste your time with neverending tests and refinements, it’s best to assign this responsibility to experts who are trained and educated in creating brand characters and have done this for numerous brands several times before.
Our experienced professionals are capable of creating the best character for your brand, exactly as you desire, precisely aligned with the brand identity. We are fully aware that strategic marketing must be merged with appealing visuals in such projects to accomplish predefined milestones. We don’t solely focus on charming appearances but consider all a brand needs from its character to deliver an ideal outcome in the end.
If you’re interested in working with Dream Farm Agency to create the brand character, contact us to discuss details.
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