Hummer, BMW, and Corolla's Brand Personalities - Coursework Example

Executive Summary Brand personality is a concept that has become important to marketers as they realize that consumers want to be identified with a brand that is a projection of their own self-concept. To study this phenomenon in the context of the automobile sector, the theoretical background in the subject was first studied. Three different car models from three different manufacturers were studied and the findings revealed that indeed marketers have to ensure that the brand projects an image or carries the personality traits that are similar to the target segment they want to attract. Hummer has a rugged image but to enhance their sales, they decided to change the brand personality to attract the youth and the women. Corolla has a dull image but is keen to give up its conservative approach which projects nothing except dependability. BMW gives rise to feelings of sophistication and yearning and hence is preferred by the wealthy and those who seek importance. It is hence recommended that brand owners should first segment their target market and try to understand the needs of their segment. This would help them design the features as per their requirement and hence would be more appealing to the customers. At the same time, the same brand can appeal to more than one segment and this can be done by appealing to their self-concept. Introduction Products and services today are imbued with personality characteristics and are recognized through these characteristics both by the consumers and the marketers. Marketers are trying to project an image of the brand that matches the personality of the individual consumer. They try to use the marketing material such as advertisements and phrases so that the brand has an emotional appeal to the consumer. This becomes necessary because to buy a product the consumer must have an awareness of the brand. The brand would catch the consumer’s attention if he finds some similarities with his own requirements and personality. This led to the concept of brand personality which has been described by Aaker as a specific mix of human traits that are attributed to a particular brand. Within a sector different products and marketers apply different strategies to attract the right customer. Each product has its own specifications and hence they target a particular segment. Thus, the personality of the brand that is projected to the target segment must have the similar characteristics and emotional appeal. This paper evaluates how three different automobile manufacturers project their brands to attract the right segment to enhance their sales. Online academic journals and some useful websites have been used to study the concept of brand personality in the automobile sector. Literature review Personality Personality has been defined as the unique psychological characteristics eliciting consistent and lasting responses to one’s own environment (Lee, 2009). Personality can be used to analyze consumer responses to particular products or brands. Several personality theories have been developed but the most relevant is the trait theory which assumes that people possess broad predispositions that cause them to behave in a particular way. Different personality researchers agree that there are five basic dimensions of personality – the Big Five – extroversion (tendency to experience positive emotional states, and feel good about the self), agreeableness (tendency to get along with others), conscientiousness (careful, scrupulous and the quality of perseverance), neuroticism (tendency to experience negative emotional states), and openness (originality and open to a wide variety of stimuli) to experience. Brands Brands provide three different types of benefits – functional, experiential and symbolic brand benefits (Lee, 2009). Symbolic benefit is the signal effect of using the brand and can be based on the image of the user or the brand personality of the product itself. Brands are supposed to be inanimate objects but consumers often view brands as having human characteristics. A brand is not merely a name, logo or a slogan. It is the customers’ perception of the stimulus when the brand is presented (Berry & Lampo, 2004). Individuals may have different psychological reasons for being attracted to a brand. By associating oneself with a brand, a consumer is able to express her self. The relationship that they form with a brand is similar to the relationship they form with another human being where the personality traits of each partner affects the other (Carlson, Donavan, Cumiskey, 2009). Brand personality Brand personality is the specific mix of human traits that are attributed to a particular brand (Lee, 2009). People’s behaviour reflects their identities and they develop a self-concept. They would buy products that have the same personality traits as their self-concept. A brand personality is a very important feature in developing a strong brand identity. Brand personality has been defined as the outward face of a brand, its characteristics most closely associated with human traits (Upshaw, 1995 cited by Wallenklint, 1998). Consumers’ perceptions of, and associations with the brand stretch beyond the functional attributes and benefits. It includes non-functional symbolic qualities known as “brand image” (Batra, Lenk & Wedel, 2010). Consumers look for “human-like characteristics associated with the brand” (Carlson, Donavan, Cumiskey, 2009). The personality aspects of brand extension play a major role in how consumers perceive and associate with the brand. For instance, they find Pepsi as more “young” while Coke is associated with honesty and Dr. Pepper as more “fun”. According to Aaker, five factors usually define a product or a category – sincerity (honest, down-to-earth and wholesome), excitement (daring, spirited, imaginative), competence (reliable, intelligent and successful), sophistication (upper class and charming) and ruggedness (outdoorsy and tough). It has been established that not only the product categories but even sub-categories possess a personality. While many definitions of brand personality have been suggested, there is no commonly accepted definition. However, Aaker’s dimensions of brand personality has been criticized by Ambrosie et al. as having no equivalent in terms of human personality (Louis & Lombart, 2010). Other researchers – Azoulay and Kapferer – found that Aaker’s definition of brand personality is not merely a facet of brand identity but has a broader construct. This implies that there could be several aspects of brand identity that could be encompassed in the brand personality. Hence the original definition of brand personality as defined by Aaker has been modified as “the set of human personality traits that are both applicable and relevant to brands” (Louis & Lombart). Consumer psychology Consumer psychology determines how consumers process information and form judgments. It also describes and how memory and judgment affect consumers' decision making (Tybot & Artz, 1994). Tim Kasser, a professor of psychology, says “to be happy people need to feel safe and secure. They need to feel competent and able to do the things they need to do; they need to feel they are connected to people, loved; and they need to feel free, autonomous" (McCarthy, 2004). Enhancing motivation is a technique that involves the creation of an attractive and interesting message that will create positive effect (Hallahan, 2000). Visuals, unusual photography, topography and layouts serve as stimuli and transmit messages. The social identity theory suggests that every individual looks for identification with a social group. Consumers are drawn to a team that has a strong similarity to them and this similarity may be real or aspirational. There are two characteristics that predict a person’s identification – prestige and distinctiveness. Prestige pertains to exclusivity, status and respect that a person derives in using a particular brand. Distinctiveness relates to how the entity is different from groups. The traits of ruggedness and sophistication are associated with the aspirational goals (Carlson, Donavan & Cumiskey, 2009). Individuals are drawn towards cars such as Mercedes to gain status and sophistication. As a brand develops a more complex personality, it becomes more prestigious and distinctive. Even though brand personality framework and human personality dimensions have similarities, brand personality dimensions might influence the consumer preference for different reasons (Lee, 2009). Brand user image, the basis for self-concept assessment, goes into the formation of brand personality. The personality of the brand is indicated through the personality characteristics of the typical use of the brand. How the consumers perceive the personality traits of the brand would influence their choice of brand. A well established brand personality could result in higher emotional ties, trust and loyalty to the brand. Consumers prefer a brand when its characteristics match their own self-image or their own personality. Individuals would reject brands if the image is not similar to their own self-concept and accept when the brand personality matches their self-image and self-concept (Diamantopoulos, Smith & Grime, 2005). Brand equity refers to the value of the brand and according to cognitive psychology framework brand equity lies in consumer’s awareness of brand features and associations. Brand associations, brand awareness, perceived quality, brand loyalty and other proprietary brand assets are all part of brand equity according to Aaker (Baltas & Saridakis, 2010). Brand names convey information about various aspects of the product that is difficult to quantity such as reputation, status, heritage and aesthetics. In the automobile sector this is particularly found because the car architect has a dual structure – it has the manufacturer’s name and the model name. Thus, in the car sector the sub-branding strategy lends support to the personality of the car. The positive effects and the beliefs about the parent company are transferred to the sub-brand. Car makers try to find names that evoke value and avoid negative associations. Importance to marketers Knowledge of the consumer response and attitude towards brand personality is important for marketers because a favourable brand personality can increase consumer preference and usage. It increases the level of trust and loyalty and acts as product differentiator. An individual may not be able to see, taste, hear or smell the product physically and hence the brand personality is a nonphysical piece of product knowledge that shapes perceptions about that product (Freling & Forbes, 2005). Findings Automobiles and personality An individual selects an automobile when he considers it an extension of his personality. Self-image is directly related to automobile purchasing behaviour. In the case of automobiles, the country of origin of the brand has an influence on how the brand personality is perceived. A Chinese car made in China has more excitement and appeal than a US car made in China (Fetscherin & Toncar, 2010). This is because China as yet has no manufacturing in the automobile sector but to convert the excitement into actual purchase may not be as fast. At the same time, if a developed country shifts its manufacturing base to a developing country, it could negatively impact the brand personality of the car. To enhance the brand personality of cars by automakers from the developing countries, they should enter the developed markets through FDI. Toyota has followed this strategy in the US and other countries and Honda and Hyundai as well. Analysis of the Hummer brand The Americans love extra-large SUVs and this is the reason that Hummer has been a success in the US. GM is now transforming the brand towards a more earth-friendly image that would appeal to the women as well as men (Matt, 2008). The brand was initially popular among the fanatical middle-aged men but the automobile owners are trying to attract the young and the women segment as well. They tried to sell a sense of self by incorporating the changes like a lighter body and higher mileage. This is why it is popular with achievers, which is a group of about 5-7% of the population (Amft, 2004). They have power and physical wealth and they are workaholics and would not like to be associated with any group. They stand apart and they follow the latest technological developments. Thus to enhance it sales it is now trying to give the car a fresh image and thereby attract the youth and the women. A car with a strong personality, Hummer has an identity of its own and can be recognized even from a distance (Duguay, 2007). This is the customer perception of the brand when it is presented. Now with the changed model, they can attract different personality levels. They now appeal to those who are serious about their capability, to those who believe in the rough-and-tough rock-climbing and to those who enjoy peaceful back-to-back nature (Peters, 2005). The ads show that the vehicle is easily maneuverable and hence parking is easy. This also fits in with the personality trait of the people when they feel they are maneuverable. They have changed the image of a military vehicle because it appealed to far less people. Based on Aaker's five dimensions of brand personality, Hummer is this exciting and rugged. Customers using this are daring and spirited and they believe in roughing it out. The customers have the tendency to experience positive emotional states about the self. The character that Hummer carries made even the women feel powerful and fearless, as GM came out with smaller versions (Bittman, 2010). Since not many people are daring and spirited, the carmakers are not disturbed by the fact that many do not like the model because they want to attract a certain segment and they have been able to do so (Duguay, 2007). It appeals to people that have an equally strong personality and who can relate with the brand personality of the car. Corolla Corolla – the name itself symbolizes dependability but it does not give rise to excitement (BKKAutos, 2007). A person identifies himself either with prestige or distinctiveness. Corolla just projected an image of being reliable but had no distinctive characteristics. It had a dull image but even though it is not considered beautiful, it is considered interesting. It has nothing exclusive to give it the prestige of a brand. It had borrowed different features from other car makers and tried to put them together, which indicates that it did not have distinctive features either. The consumers perceive the brand as dull, and hence only those who do not look forward to any excitement in life would opt for this brand. Brand names convey information about the product and in the case of Corolla, it symbolizes dependability. Hence those with characteristics such as reliability and honesty or factors defined by Aaker as sincerity and competence, would prefer this brand. However, now Toyota wants to shake off this conservative image because this is now a stigma attached to the brand image. BMW BMW cars create drivers and not the other way round. BMW provides a symbolic brand benefit (Lee) because something about its personality makes the drivers yearn to become BMW drivers (Bittman, 2010). Those who are attracted to BMW identify their own self with the brand concept and image of BMW. Lee contends that people are attracted to brands that match their own self-concept. BMW projects an image of pretentious, wealthy and condescending. It is like having a relationship with a powerful boss or a rich relative. Another word for ‘powerful’ is that the person likes recognition for flourishing economically and for being important (Freeman, 2006). It has the trait of sophistication as described by Aaker, because Freeman contends that those who are attracted to BMW want recognition for being upwardly mobile and important. When a person is seen with BMW he feels a sense of prestige which is what his own self-concept is. It also suggests that the users of BMW have aspirational goals which have been found by Carlson, Donavan and Cumiske. Consumers always prefer a brand that matches their own self-concept. All the advertisements project the image that one who drives BMW is powerful such as “live vicariously through no one” or “the power to free your self”. The brand also projects an image of having fun and a sense of adventure. This projects an image that people who want power, who have the charisma to be powerful, do not care about the opinion of others. This means that people who are wealthy and condescending would prefer BMW as it matches their own self-identity. Conclusion To understand the concept of brand personality that attracts consumers to a particular brand or a product, this study was undertaken. This was because it is believed that products or brand possess personality traits that are prevalent in humans and that human beings would be attracted to a brand that is similar to his own characteristics. This paper focused on there different brands within one category, namely, cars. Three different car models from three different manufacturers were studied. The study revealed that each of the three cars carries its own image and hence it attracts people with such characteristics or personality traits that marches their own image. Hummer, for instance is rugged and tough and hence initially it attracted the middle-age customers. To enhance the sales, the car makers had to alter their brand image and match it to other human personalities such as the young and the women. Corolla projects a dull image and caters to the segment that has no excitement to look forward to. They have a conservative image and now to attract other segments, they are trying to overhaul their existing image. BMW is a class by itself and has the capability to make the drivers years to drive BMW. This itself shows how condescending the brand personality is. The wealthy customers prefer this as they want recognition for being upwardly mobile and important. What this study reveals is that every product or a brand must have the attributes and personality traits of the segment it wants to attract. Hence, the same product can project different features to attract different segments. AS in the case of Hummer, when they show through their advertisements the ease of parking, one particular segment could be drawn. When they advertise the smaller version, the women feel powerful. Thus marketers can use the same brand to project different images through cleverly designed advertisements. References Amft, J 2004, A quick how-to on targeting your message to a specific market segment, viewed 12 May 2010, http://www.northcrossing.com/PsychographicMarketing.html Baltas, G & Saridakis, C 2010, 'Measuring brand equity in the car market: a hedonic price analysis', Journal of the Operational Research Society, vol. 61, pp 284-293 Batra, R Lenk, P & Wedel, M 2010, 'Brand Extension Strategy Planning: Empirical Estimation of Brand–Category Personality Fit and Atypicality, Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. XLVII, pp 335–347 Berry, LL & Lampo, SS 2004, 'Branding Labor-intensive services', Business Strategy Review, Vol. 15, no. 1. Bittman, A 2010, Say What You Will About the Hummer, It Had Personality, viewed 12 May 2010, http://tsl.pomona.edu/new/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=877:say-what-you-will-about-the-hummer-it-had-personality&catid=56:outside-the-bubble&Itemid=98 BKKAutos, 2007, 2008 Toyota Corolla Altis - detailed preview, viewed 12 May 2010, http://www.bkkautos.com/2008-Toyota-Corolla-Altis-detailed-preview Carlson, BD Donavan, DT Cumiskey, KJ 2009, 'Consumer-brand relationships in sport: brand personality and identification', International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 37, no. 4. pp 370-384 Diamantopoulos, A Smith, G & Grime, I 2005, 'The impact of brand extensions on brand personality: experimental evidence', European Journal of Marketing, vol. 39, no. 1/2. pp. 129-149 Duguay, B 2007, The Hummer’s identity, viewed 12 May 2010, http://benoit-consumption.blogspot.com/2007/10/hummers-identity.html Fetscherin, M & Toncar, M 2010, 'The effects of the country of brand and the country of manufacturing of automobiles', International Marketing Review, vol. 27, no. 2. pp 164-178 Freeman, D 2006, REFINING YOUR BRAND PERSONALITY, viewed 12 May 2010, http://goodies.wizardacademypress.com/Freeman-RefiningYourBrandPersonality.pdf Freling, TH & Forbes, LP 2005, 'An empirical analysis of the brand personality effect', Journal of Product & Brand Management, vol. 14, no. 7. pp 404-413 Hallahan, K 2000, 'Enhancing Motivation, Ability, and Opportunity to Process Public Relations Messages', Public Relations Review, vol. 26, no. 4. pp Lee, JW 2009, 'RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CONSUMER PERSONALITY AND BRAND PERSONALITY AS SELF-CONCEPT: FROM THE CASE OF KOREAN AUTOMOBILE BRANDS', Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, vol. 13, no. 1. pp 25-44 Louis, D & Lombart, C 2010, 'Impact of brand personality on three major relational consequences (trust, attachment, and commitment to the brand)', Journal of Product & Brand Management, vol. 19, no. 2, pp 114-130 Matt, V 2008, GM's macho tank, the Hummer, is evolving into a smaller, higher-mileage SUV even Moms can love. BusinessWeek, 00077135, 4/28/2008, Issue 4081. McCarthy, M 2004, 'Shopping 'til we drop: can psychology save us from our lust for possessions?' The Lancet, 363.9405 : 296. Peters, JW 2005, How to Market Hummers to the Masses, viewed 12 May 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/28/business/media/28adco.html?_r=2 Tybot, AM & Artz, N 1994, 'Consumer psychology', Annual Review of Psychology, vol. 45, no. 131. Wallenklint, JH 1998, Brand Personality as a way of developing and maintaining Swedish brands, viewed 12 May 2010, http://epubl.luth.se/1402-1579/1998/092/LTU-EKON-EX-98092-SE.pdf Read More