Behind-the-Scenes with Brand Characters: Part III

The Money and Life of a Brand Face

To a struggling actor the almost $600 payout for the first shoot sounds good. The ongoing residuals sound great too. If the ads are successful the actor has the position to negotiate. An annual deal may be worked out. With a decent paycheck comes a mix of fame and anonymity. A brand’s character’s face is everywhere, without the actor’s name. And after the gig is up? Who is going to hire such a recognizable face to promote another brand?

When you’re the face of a brand, you can expect a morality clause. Because your face is so closely associated with a brand, you’re probably better off staying out of the public eye. For example when Jonathan Goldsmith (most Interesting Man in the World, Dos Equis) threw a fundraiser for President Barack Obama in September Republicans threatened to boycott the brew.

Ben Curtis, the Dell Dude from 2000-2003 was a college student at NYU. He said it was hard to be a normal kid at school. His schoolmates chided him for already having “made it.” When he was arrested in 2003? The charges were eventually dropped and so was his commercial gig. Most of the money he had made went to paying for his schooling. In 2011 he starred in an indie film called “We Are the Hartmans.” Curtis also waits tables.

What if the company screws up? In 2008, Steve Warshak of Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals was sentenced to 25 years for conspiracy, fraud, and money laundering. The legal struggles were often published adjacent to Smiling Bob’s image. Today Olcott makes a living working in advertising. He co-founded an agency in Vancouver. 

Part I

Part II

Advertising Techniques: Using Brand Characters

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

Some examples of brand characters are James Dyson the creator of the Dyson vacuum cleaners. Other companies employ the use of the same actor throughout the campaign. Progressive’s Flo and Mac’s Mac and PC characters are a good example. Created characters are often well received. You’ll remember the long-standing Michelin Man and the Geico Gecko.

When it comes to complexity and interest Dos Equis, does it well with the World’s Most Interesting Man.

Create your own character. First choose whether you will use an imaginary character or real person. Then create a dramatic role for the real person 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.

Be advised that it will take some time for the character to become synonymous with the brand. Advertising spokes-characters are especially effective with the young. 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.

Stay tuned for more advertising techniques.