A company’s brand is one of its most valuable assets. But what exactly makes up a brand? While terms like “brand personality” and “brand imagery” are often used interchangeably, they refer to distinct brand concepts.
In this in-depth guide, we’ll examine the key differences between brand personality and brand imagery We’ll also explore why both are critical to building a memorable and effective brand
Defining Brand Personality
A brand personality refers to the human traits and characteristics attributed to a brand Consider the brand personalities of
- Apple – innovative, stylish, elite
- Coca-Cola – classic, American, fun
- Volvo – reliable, safe, family-oriented
These associations shape consumer perceptions and emotional connections with the brand. Brand personality is conveyed through:
- Tone of voice in communications
- Visual identity – logo, fonts, color palette
- Messaging themes and narratives
- Company culture and values
The goal is to develop a distinctive personality that resonates with target audiences. This personality remains consistent across touchpoints to reinforce brand recognition and loyalty.
Defining Brand Imagery
Brand imagery encompasses the visual components that make up a brand’s look and feel. This includes:
- Photography style – editing, subjects, composition
- Illustration approach – medium, motifs, themes
- Logos – iconography, shape, color
- Typography – font styles, text hierarchy
- Color palette – primary and secondary colors
A cohesive brand imagery creates visual familiarity. Consumers instantly recognize brand assets across platforms. Using consistent imagery also reinforces the brand’s personality and values.
Brand Personality vs Brand Imagery
While related, brand personality and brand imagery serve different purposes:
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Brand personality shapes perceptions and appeals to target audiences by embodying human traits and values.
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Brand imagery provides visual familiarity and recognition through logos, images, fonts, colors and style.
Think of brand personality as the traits that define a person. Brand imagery represents how that person dresses, does their hair, accessorizes, and carries themselves visually.
Brand personality and imagery work hand-in-hand to shape a memorable brand identity. Personality defines the soul of the brand. Imagery gives it a recognizable face and voice.
Aligning Brand Personality and Imagery
To effectively build brand affinity, your personality and imagery should align and reinforce one another.
For example, a budget airline aiming for a friendly, approachable personality would use casual, energetic imagery – not stiff corporate portraits.
Follow these tips to align personality and imagery:
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Define your personality – List 3-5 core human traits for your brand.
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Develop corresponding imagery – What visual elements embody those traits?
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Ensure consistency – Align personality and imagery across all touchpoints and content.
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Reflect audience appeal – Does the imagery resonate with target demographics?
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Convey emotion – Do images evoke the desired feelings and personality?
Examples of Brand Personality and Imagery
Let’s examine how top brands align personality and imagery:
1. Coca-Cola
Personality: classic, Americana, fun, real
Imagery: smiling people, family gatherings, joyous occasions
Coca-Cola’s warm nostalgic personality matches its imagery of happy people enjoying good times.
2. Apple
Personality: innovative, elite, stylish, sleek
Imagery: artistic product shots, lifestyle scenes, minimalism
Apple’s sleek modern personality aligns with imagery of its beautiful high-tech products and elegant design aesthetic.
3. Patagonia
Personality: outdoorsy, adventurous, eco-friendly, casual
Imagery: nature landscapes, camping, hiking, outdoor recreation
Patagonia’s earthy sustainable personality fits its real imagery of outdoor enthusiasts hiking and exploring.
Benefits of Developing Brand Personality and Imagery
Investing in thoughtful brand personality and aligned imagery produces many benefits:
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Differentiation – A distinctive personality makes your brand stand out.
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Relevance – Personality and imagery that resonates builds affinity with target consumers.
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Memorability – Consistent personality and imagery create a recognizable brand.
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Versatility – Personality and imagery flex across mediums – print, digital, video, etc.
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Scalability – As you grow, consistent personality and imagery still feel familiar.
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Internal cohesion – Personality and imagery unite teams and culture.
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Competitive edge – A brand people relate to is hard for competitors to replicate.
Bringing Your Brand Personality and Imagery to Life
Here are some tips for infusing your brand personality throughout the customer journey:
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Website copy – Use tone and messaging that reflects your personality.
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Blog content – Share stories and themes that embody your values.
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Social media – Let your brand personality shine through in an authentic voice.
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Email newsletters – Adopt a style aligned with your brand traits.
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Advertising – Create campaigns with imagery that radiates your personality.
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Packaging – Leverage unboxing as a touchpoint to convey personality.
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Office environment – Allow brand personality to inspire office design and decor.
Key Takeaways
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Brand personality describes the human traits embodied by a brand while brand imagery provides visual recognition.
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Aligning brand personality and imagery creates a consistent, memorable brand identity.
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Brand personality should inform the choice of images, logos, typography and other visual assets.
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Infusing brand personality throughout the customer journey helps build affinity and loyalty.
A compelling brand personality, reinforced with aligned imagery, makes a brand relatable and distinct. Take time to develop these foundational brand elements and see your brand thrive.
Whatâs the Difference between Brand Personality, Image and Identity?
Brand identity is the way people recognize how a brand represents its business. Your brandâs name, the colors you choose to reflect your brandâs vision, the logo you design to portray your brandâs message and the website you design to interact with your customers all contribute to your brandâs identity.
Brand is the way your consumers receive your brand identity. It is the idea your audience has of your brand in their heads and the way they think and talk about your business with others. Accordingly, brand impacts the expectations your users have and dictates how your business should respond.
Brand personality refers to the attitudes, emotions, and characteristics associated with your business and plays an important role in how your company forms connections and builds interactions with your consumers. The personality will be the
feelings and emotions that your audience will take away from your brand. An effective brand personality makes it easy for your audience to form personal relationships with your brand and results in consumer loyalty.
Brand Image vs Brand Identity: How Brands Influence What We Think
What is the difference between brand image and brand personality?
Brand image is the customers’ currentviewand perceptionof the brand, which may not be aligned with who you are. Brand personality is a set of human characteristicsand/or personality traits associated with a brand. Why does brand personality matter?
How do brand image and personality work together?
Brand image and personality work together in that they both represent non-visual methods for communication that live inside the audience’s head. Brand personality and identity co-exist as the brand identity must express the brand’s human characteristics to its audience.
Are brand identity and image the same thing?
Brand identity, brand image and brand personality, though different, are equally important elements of a brand. Brand identity and image work together to communicate with the audience both explicitly and implicitly.
What are brand imagery and brand personality?
Both brand imagery and brand personality are designed to communicate relevant information about the brand or organization to the audience. Their purpose is to send both implicit and explicit messages to the public to generate sales or customer loyalty.
