Persuasion and Influence

This video shows a selection of Apple adverts dating from 1997 to 2001, and is an example of “brand personality.” Brand personality is important in presenting to the public a coherent image of what that particular company represents, and the message it wants to convey to the audience about their products. Each advert in the above video strengthens Apple’s brand personality of appearing to be innovative, fast, and better than PCs (summed up in the tagline “Think Different”).

Several studies have found that brand personality is effective in influencing consumers towards supporting, and using, the brand in question. For example, Sung and Kim (2010) looked at how brand personality influences brand trust and brand affect (the ability to elicit a positive emotional response). Their results showed that the dimensions into which the Apple advertisements would fit, i.e. excitement and competency, increase brand affect and both brand affect and brand trust respectively. The study came to this conclusion by asking 135 college students to rate how far 42 personality traits described a specific brand (each participant rated 6 brands). The ratings were compared with participants responses when rating the brands directly on brand trust, brand affect and brand loyalty. Results showed that strong ratings of personality attributes correlated with higher levels of brand trust and brand affect, with different dimensions (sincerity, competence, excitement, sophistication, ruggedness) more specifically affecting one or the other.  

References

Sung, Y., & Kim, J. (2010). Effects of brand personality on brand trust and brand affect. Psychology & Marketing, 27, 639-661.