This blog post was created based on Adam Ortman’s interview with Janice Hostager for the “My Weekly Marketing” podcast. Have a listen to the episode here!
If your brand were a person, who would it be?
Would it wear sleek tailored suits, or stick to laid-back athleisure? Would it crack jokes at every chance or speak with polished professionalism?
Imagining your brand as a person is not just a fun thought experiment—it’s where building a solid brand strategy begins. No matter what kind of business you own, understanding how to craft a brand persona rooted in consumer behavior can provide the foundation for truly impactful campaigns.
Our founder, Adam Ortman, recently sat down with Janice Hostager for the “My Weekly Marketing” podcast and shared a few key insights on the role brand personas play in successful marketing campaigns. In this post, we’ll share some of those takeaways, and expand upon his points to give you the best foundation possible as you set out on your own.
Understanding Brand Personality
A brand persona helps humanize your business, giving it personality traits that resonate deeply with your audience.
Think of it like introducing yourself at a large event—your tone of voice, your choice of attire, and even the way you hold yourself all convey key first impressions.
Your brand’s "first impression" works much the same way. When you take the time to thoughtfully craft a brand persona, you establish the language, visuals, and experience that will ultimately form the foundation of your audience’s perception.
Start by asking yourself, who is your brand if it were a person? Imagine it is sitting across the table from you.
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How does it speak—informally like a friend or with sophistication like a poised professional?
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What would it wear? A leather jacket, a floral dress, or a smart blazer?
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What hobbies and values would it have?
Answering these questions shapes your logo, website design, and copy. For example, if a brand is youthful and creative, a bright and lively color palette with casual, playful language might come naturally.
On the other hand, if the brand is formal and represents luxury, muted colors, clean designs, and professional language would align better with that personality.
This exercise might sound strange, but it’s incredibly valuable in that it moves your brand from being a static entity to an engaging character. And in a crowded market, that kind of connection is what’s going to stick.
Consistency is Key
Once you develop a brand persona, you need to stick to it. Just like you wouldn’t trust a person whose behavior is erratic and unpredictable, you wouldn’t trust a brand that doesn’t demonstrate consistency, either.
To make sure you’re maintaining this level of reliability, start by thinking about how you respond to your customers. A brand with a warm and welcoming tone in its ad campaigns should mirror that same tone in its customer service emails. If one communication feels warm and the next feels cold, customers will notice.
Then there’s social media. Over 5.24 billion people use social media globally—making it the most important platform for communication. Your posts should reflect your brand’s personality through both style and language.
Is your brand humorous? Lean into witty captions and light-hearted content. More professional? Opt for polished photography and insightful commentary.
Your other campaigns and public relations efforts also benefit from this alignment. A brand persona provides a clear foundation, making sure any partnership, collaboration, or PR-driven campaign feels authentic. Over time, this consistency becomes your brand’s signature—something your audience comes to expect and appreciate. More importantly, it’s something that builds trust and rapport.
Leveraging Psychology in Branding
Building a connection with your target audience goes beyond clever design and smart copy. You also need to understand the way people think. Cognitive psychology, in particular, offers powerful tools to create emotionally resonant campaigns.
Take confirmation bias, for instance. People are naturally drawn to information that supports their existing beliefs. If your target audience cares about sustainability, emphasizing your eco-friendly sourcing practices reinforces their values and builds trust.
Authority bias is another handy tool. We tend to trust experts and respected figures. Integrating testimonials, case studies, or highlighting endorsements from industry professionals is a great way to immediately boost credibility.
Just remember, though, that branding is for your customers, not you. Avoid inserting your own personal preferences into the decision-making process.
This is also why revisiting your brand persona every six to eight months is necessary. Consumer preferences evolve. Trends ebb and flow. By staying aligned with your audience’s expectations, you make sure your brand always feels fresh and relevant.
Practical Branding Tips for Small Businesses
Even if you’re a small business working with modest resources, there are plenty of affordable options around for developing a cohesive brand presence.
Visual consistency is a no-brainer, and it’s a great place to start as you work on your branding.
One of our favorite free tools is Canva, which allows you to create professional graphics, maintain a cohesive color palette, and design eye-catching logos without requiring a big budget or a professional designer. Once you’ve developed key elements like a logo or font pairing, you should keep using them to strengthen your visual identity.
Look to your competitors for inspiration. Analyze their websites, content strategies, and visuals to identify what works (or doesn’t). Remember, borrowing inspiration doesn’t mean copying—it’s about learning. Find gaps in their branding and use them as opportunities to differentiate yourself.
Tapping into AI and CRM tools also gives your small business a competitive edge. Platforms like HubSpot offer free tiers that provide audience insights you can leverage for better campaign targeting.
Putting the Wheels in Motion
Branding isn’t just about logos and taglines. It’s about creating entire personas, connecting with audiences on a deeper level, and staying consistent across every channel.
If you’re a small business ready to turn brand personas into impactful campaigns, Kinetic319 is here to help. Our agency specializes in taking concepts like these and turning them into tangible results. Whether it’s refining your brand voice or creating consistency in your visuals, we’ve got you covered.
Contact us today to learn how we can bring your unique brand personality to life.