In general order of importance, strong brands are: trustworthy, authentic, reliable, admirable, appealing, honest, representative of something, likeable, popular, unique, believable, relevant, known for performance, service-oriented, and innovative.

Not all brands have a personality, or at least a strong, distinctive personality. However, those brands that do have personality have a significant advantage; they are more likely to stand out from the crowd and have a message. Key benefits of a strong brand personality are:

• Represent and communicate functional benefits
• Provide energy
• Define a brand relationship
• Guiding brand-building programs
• Help understand the customer

A brand’s personality and values are often a function of the following;

• The personality and values of the organization’s founder
• The personality and values of the organization’s current leader
• The personalities and values of the organization’s most zealous customers/members/clients
• The brand’s carefully drafted design/positioning
• Some combination of the above

A Brand Personality Scale by Aaker

1. Sincerity: down-to-earth (family-oriented, small-town), honest (sincere), wholesome (original), cheerful (sentimental, friendly)
2. Excitement: daring (trendy, exciting), spirited (cool, young), imaginative (unique), up-to-date (independent, contemporary)
3. Competence: reliable (hardworking, secure), intelligent (technical, corporate), successful (leader, confident)
4. Sophistication: the upper class (glamorous, good looking), charming (feminine, smooth)
5. Ruggedness: outdoorsy (masculine, western), tough (rugged)

Would you like to understand this better and also use it to your advantage? Connect with the Anaahat team and explore.

Reference: Jennifer Aaker (1997). Dimensions of Brand Personality. Journal of Marketing Research, 34, August, 347-357