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rand personality is a very useful tool in understanding how customers perceive brands. According to Aaker (1997), “brand personality” refers to “set of human characteristics associated with a brand”. Indeed, consumers give human personality traits to brand and image these brands could be celebrities or famous figures for example.
A link is then created with the brand depending on the congruity between the individual’s actual or idea self and the human characteristics of the brand.
According to Plumer (1985), “perception of brand personality can be formed and influenced by any direct or indirect contact that the consumer has with the brand”. Consequently, we think that the packaging, the taste and all the elements composing the toothpaste universe are crucial to create the brand personality (colors, endorsers, slogan…).
We tried to apply these short principles to the toothpaste market and played a little game with some customers (people from the school and from our families). They were asked how they perceive the different brands and what kind of brand personality they attribute to them.
- Signal and Colgate
On the whole, people associated quite the same words for Signal and Colgate:- “Pale”
- “Strong”
- “Fresh”
- “Fun"
- “Trustworthy”
- "innovative"
When they were asked, they agree on the fact that if Signal or Colgate was a character, it would be a man.
According to our sample’s reactions, we would portray these two brands as a young and dynamic man!
> Which "big 5" correspond to this brand? Competence.
- Sensodyne
Regarding Sensodyne, people point out different adjectives:
- “Medical”
- “Serious”
- “Efficient”
- “Trustworthy”
- “Medical”
- “Serious”
- “Efficient”
- “Trustworthy”
People admit that they were able to decide if they would represent this brand with a male or a female person. Consequently, we would portray this brand as below with several doctors.
We notice that even if Sensodyne is not terribly differentiated, it seems to have quite a different brand personality in the consumers’ minds.
> Which "big 5" correspond to this brand? Competence.
- Email Diamant
We were amused when we asked people about Email Diamant:- “Pale"
- “Baroque”
- “Old fashioned”
- “Seduction”
The words were really different compared to Signal and Colgate. Consequently, we notice that creating a brand personality is part of the differentiation of a brand. It can really help you standing out in the crowd (even if we know that this brand is smaller than its competitors).
When they were asked, people told us they rather identified this toothpaste more with a woman than a man. According to these words, we would portray this brand as besides.
> Which "big 5" correspond to this brand? Competence and Sophistication.
Conclusion
Every single decision of the brands regarding its universe, product line or advertising campaign is decisive in the way people consider them.
