Behind the Scenes with Brand Characters: Part I

courtesy adweek

So, you remember my post in January on advertising techniques that introduced you to brand characters? Buckle up! You're in for a behind-the-scenes look at brand characters. In this series we'll discuss what they are, how to use them, and the disadvantages or humanizing a brand. Stay tuned!

First, the light and fluffy...


Brand characters in advertising allow a visual image beyond the logo. The personality should be consistent and complex. The target audience should be able to connect in a beneficial relationship.

Create Your Character

First choose whether you will use an imaginary character or real person. Create a dramatic role for the real person’s character. For the cartoon character try turning the product into a person or the person into a product. Create a whole spectrum of morphs and choose the best one. (Think Michelin man.)

Be advised that it will take some time for the character to become synonymous with the brand. Don’t stop too soon! The dynamic audiovisual medium attracts attention. Characters are likely to be remembered for the impact on visual and verbal areas of the brain. With characters there are no words to remember. Advertising spokes-characters are especially effective with the young. (My four-year-old loves the Geico gecko.)

In the next few weeks you'll want to be here to find out the lifespan of a brand character, what happened to Enzyte's smiling Bob, and more!