Why your brand should be like a person.

Introduction

A brand is more than a logo, a color, or a product. It's an experience, a feeling, and above all: a character. People want to be able to identify with brands. They want to feel who they are dealing with.

That's exactly what brand personality is all about. In this article, we explain what it is, why it's so important for small businesses looking to make a positive impact on the world, and how we approach it at BrandBros.

Table of Contents

1. What is Brand Personality?
2. Why is Brand Personality Important?
3. How Do We Develop Brand Personality at BrandBros?
4. Example: This is what an Archetype Mix Looks Like
5. How Do You Apply Brand Personality in Your Communication?
6. Conclusion: Make Your Brand Human

1. What is Brand Personality?

Brand personality is the human side of your brand. It's the character people perceive when they encounter your brand. This character is built from traits such as friendly, quirky, caring, or rebellious.

Just like with people, your personality determines how others perceive you. And that's precisely what makes it powerful in branding: people build relationships more quickly with brands that feel 'real'.

2. Why is Brand Personality Important?

For small businesses with a mission, a strong brand personality is essential. You might not have a mega-budget, but you do have something valuable to say. With the right personality, you ensure your message resonates and sticks.

A brand personality:

• Makes you recognizable - people remember your brand better
• Strengthens emotional connection - customers feel connected
• Brings focus and consistency - you sound and feel the same everywhere
• Creates appeal - you attract customers who are a good fit for you

People don't just buy what you do, but also how you do it and why you do it. Brand personality is the bridge between your mission and your customer's experience.

3. How do we at BrandBros develop brand personality?

At BrandBros, we build a brand personality like a character from a story, just as Marvel does with their superheroes. Your brand gets its own background, character traits, and way of speaking and thinking.

We do this in three steps:

Step 1 - We start with the brand foundations

First, we examine the building blocks of your brand identity:

• Mission & vision
• Values
• Target audience
• Proposition & Brand Promise

This foundation ensures that your brand personality isn't arbitrary, but is rooted in who you truly are.

Step 2 - We define an archetype mix

We work with the 12 classic branding archetypes (think of the Rebel, Sage, Creator, Caregiver...). These archetypes are universal and make it easier to view your brand as a person.

We always create a mix, such as:

• 50% Sage (primary)
• 25% Caregiver (secondary)
• 15% Creator (supporting)
• 10% Hero (supporting)

This creates a layered character with recognizable traits, but without becoming a flat cliché.

Step 3 - We develop the brand persona

Next, we develop your brand's persona, including:

• A backstory
• Character traits
• Typical statements
• Tone of voice
• Internal motivations
• Behavior in certain situations

Everything is captured in a stylish brand document that provides guidance for all communication and design choices.

4. Example: this is what an archetype mix looks like

Imagine: you are a sustainable interior stylist for families who want to live greener. Then your archetype mix could look like this:

• Primary: Creator (50%) - you are imaginative, aesthetic, and innovative
• Secondary: Caregiver (25%) - you care, support, and listen
• Supportive: Sage (15%) - you share knowledge and insights
• Supportive: Innocent (10%) - you believe in a better world

Such a mix creates a brand that feels warm, creative, and expert. Something your target audience recognizes — and trusts.

5. How do you apply your new brand personality?

A brand personality only works if you apply it consistently. That's why we use the character we develop together as a guideline for:

• Tone of voice - how do you address your customers?
• Web content - what to say, and how?
• Social media - what to share and in what tone?
• Visual style - color palette, typography, visual language
• Customer service - how to respond to feedback or questions?

This way, your brand not only becomes visually recognizable, but also meaningfully felt. And that makes all the difference.

6. Conclusion

People connect with people. Not with logos or services. By giving your brand a strong personality, you make it human, recognizable, and appealing.

As a small business, you don't need a large budget to stand out. The most important thing is to have a clear mission, understand your target audience, and consistently implement your brand personality in everything you do. Start today building a brand that not only makes sense but also resonates.