Understanding what attracts people to certain brands comes down to rather simple interpersonal psychology. Consider how a relationship starts. People meet doing something that gives them a point of commonality. With your branding and your customer, this initial meeting is your product or service- which you provide and they desire. The rest has everything to do with creating a friendly, simple, and consistent branding message that comforts the buyer, offering them no surprises and nothing unpleasant. In short, your brand needs a personality and it has to be simple, non-threatening, and- above all- consistent.
Be Bold & Consistent
Think of Coca-Cola. It’s red with a white stripe, always, with few variations. It’s a bold and simple theme associated with a strong and highly recognizable flavor. Changes to the labeling are usually associated with holidays. The most divergent variations stay close to the central Coke theme- red and white. In taste tests, most people prefer Pepsi, but Coke’s bold, monochromatic, and consistent motif is a powerful motivator.
Consonant Social, & Thematic Visuals
Many brands focus their messaging around visuals of a type of person performing a type of group activity. These activities are usually highly social and recreational. The idea is to portray your target demographic in situations where someone like them is being successfully social. The implication is that they can be accepted by the kind of people they prefer when using your product.
Use One or Two Fonts Consistently
It’s more important than ever in the age of information that you choose a type style or font that is consistent with the character of your brand. It should be bold, suggest a simplistic narrative and you should never stray from it.
Keep Your Timing and Pacing Consistent
When you post on social media keep your timing consistent. Post at the same times of day, and the same days of the week. You’re speaking to the pace of your target demographic’s lifestyle. You should also use consistent pacing in your advertising content. If your videos and narratives tend to have a fast pace, keep them that way. Think of it as being analogous to a genre of music. People who like a specific type of music expect it to adhere to a specific range of pacing. Consider the pacing of rock and roll compared to country and you’ll understand what we mean.
Create a Personality
Finally, create a personality for your brand. It doesn’t have to be an actual character like the Gorton’s Fisherman but it should be persistent, friendly, and predictable. Your brand personality is a tool you use to tell your customers that they will be getting a safe and predictable experience every time they access your product.
