The Influence of Brand Personality on Consumer Behaviour
Introduction
The way in which brands interact with their audiences can have a tremendous influence on consumers’ buying decisions. In order to establish positive relationships with consumers, and ultimately drive sales, companies must develop an effective brand personality. Brand personalities are representations of brands as people and help give tangible, human characteristics to otherwise intangible products or services. A brand’s personality can range anywhere from being goofy and laid back to being professional and sophisticated. In this way, a brand can become a sort of informal spokesperson for their target audience, speaking “on their behalf” in both online and offline spaces.
The concept of brand personality has become increasingly important in marketing, as brands try to create a memorable image in the minds of their consumers. But brand personality isn’t just for aesthetics; it can have a real and tangible effect on consumer behaviour. Brand personalities provide consumers with a sense of familiarity and trust, often leading to an increase in sales. In this paper, we will explain how brand personalities can influence consumer behaviour and how companies can use this knowledge to their advantage.
The Impact of Brand Personality on Consumer Behaviour
It’s no surprise that consumers often turn to brands they know and trust. We don’t just choose our favourite products because of their features or price, we also choose them because of the personalities behind them. A brand’s personality changes how we feel about the company, and in turn how we act towards them.
A study by Wang and Chen (2014) on how brand personalities influence consumer behaviour found that “brand personality meaningfully moderates the relationship between customer evaluation and purchase intention of a product at both cognitive and affective levels”. It is clear that brand personalities have the power to affect consumer behaviour in powerful ways.
The study also found that different brand personalities can elicit different reactions. For example, a company with a fun, upbeat brand personality can evoke a sense of pleasure and trust in consumers, leading to higher sales. On the other hand, a company with a serious, professional brand personality may have more success selling to a professional audience. This highlights the importance of understanding your target audience and establishing a unique brand personality that resonates with them.
The Benefits of Having a Strong Brand Personality
By creating an engaging and recognizable brand personality, companies can create a memorable image in the minds of their consumers. A strong brand personality can also provide a sense of familiarity, trust and loyalty which can be invaluable in the minds of consumers. Furthermore, having an identifiable brand personality can help differentiate a company from its competitors and make it stand out in a crowded market.
Additionally, a brand’s personality can be used to create positive associations with a product or service. For example, if a company has a playful, laid-back brand personality, consumers may associate this particular product or service with being fun and easy to use. Consumers may then seek out the product or service to enhance the “funness” of their own lives.
Conclusion
The impact of brand personalities on consumer behaviour can be tremendous and can help brands to create strong, lasting relationships with their consumers. By understanding your target audience, and creating a unique, recognizable brand personality that resonates with them, companies can increase sales and build long-term loyalty. The benefits of having a strong brand personality are clear, and companies should take every opportunity to develop an effective brand personality if they want to remain competitive in today’s market.