Brand Personality.

Today's Marketing Cookie is about brand personality.

We are often hired to lead companies through a rebranding exercise, which is a process where we help them rediscover their strengths and establish a stronger position in the market. Along the way, we ask questions about their unique value, their core audience, examples of how they are messaging, and in what voice. Then eventually, we ask why people choose to do business with them. Many times, the leadership will list all the features and benefits of their products but forget about the most important element of all—people.

Steve Jobs is someone I greatly admire, but he disagreed with me. He did not believe that Apple customers cared about personality or people. He once said, "It's not about charisma and personality, it's about results and products and those very bedrock things that are why people at Apple and outside of Apple are getting more excited about the company and what Apple stands for and what its potential is to contribute to the industry." If personality and charm were not as important, perhaps this is why so many products from Apple are sterile and white.

Either way, I have seen successful companies that enjoy near-perfect customer retention and a grandstand of die-hard brand loyalists but that also have lousy, sub-par products. How can this be? The answer is the people. Those customers remain loyal because people simply like to work with people they like. They enjoy the culture of the company, even if the products aren't the fanciest, most cutting-edge, and slickest in the world; they simply like the personality of the company.

When going through a rebranding process, it is important to identify the current personality of the company and understand the implications of keeping or changing it. I've found that many times the leadership will find their company personality to be boring or old and may not appreciate how much their current customers enjoy it the way it is. A refresh to your brand may show that your image is important to you, but be careful about removing or changing the elements your customers have found to be most important.

It is very difficult, and maybe even impossible, to have an objective view of your own company's personality. You can't just look at your company in the mirror and fully understand how your reflection is perceived by customers and prospects. Meanwhile, an outside viewpoint can see through the smoke and tell you what's really in the mirrors. Rebranding your company is not something you should try to do internally. It's true. I believe that rebranding is like a haircut; you'll probably look better if you hire a professional. Take heed of the warnings and "don't try this at home."

Steve Jobs may have been correct in his belief that personality did not make a difference at Apple. In your company, however, you may have developed a certain charm and personality over the years that your customers absolutely love. While it may be time to conduct a rebranding exercise, I would just ask that you promise not to be disappointed to learn that it could be a crime to change your brand personality. Our research may find that your people are still your greatest asset and we may even ask you to promote what you initially thought was "old and boring." As today's fortune says, we may still recommend that you "Use your charm and personality to obtain your wishes."