What Your Brand Is Really Saying About Your Business
Have you ever browsed two online stores selling the same product - the price and quality seem similar enough - but you’re instantly drawn to one over the other?
You couldn’t quite explain why.
It just felt right.
That’s brand personality at work.
When you’re a busy business owner juggling customers, suppliers, social media, and life outside of work, it’s easy to overlook just how much your brand’s personality is influencing what people think, feel, and say about you - before you’ve even had the chance to speak.
But why does brand personality matter? What makes it resonate? And is there an easier way to define it - without overthinking every post, colour, or caption?
The good news: there is.
Through a clear and proven framework - one rooted in traits we instinctively recognise, defined as brand archetypes - you can communicate your brand personality with confidence. No guesswork. No hesitation. Just clarity that deepens connection, builds trust, and makes your marketing decisions quicker and easier.
So before we talk about how to use that framework, let’s start with the foundation.
Does your brand persona push for perfection — is it exclusive and luxurious?
What Is Brand Personality
(and Why Does It Matter)?
Imagine your brand as a person, how would it show up?
Would it be warm and nurturing? Confident and bold? Creative and expressive? Calm and trustworthy?
Brand personality is the set of human characteristics people associate with your brand - a core element for building an authentic and successful business.
“Understanding your brand personality is a game-changer for your business.”
There’s a deeper meaning to why all this matters: human psychology.
People subconsciously assign traits to brands based on what they see, hear, and experience. Those snap judgments shape trust, connection, and whether they come back again - i.e. the ultimate goal for your business.
A strong and aligned brand personality:
Creates instant recognition
Builds emotional connection
Makes decision-making easier for customers
Encourages loyalty and word-of-mouth
Without it, even great businesses can blend into the background.
First Impressions:
Your Brand Speaks Before You Do
Just like showing up for a job interview or the first time you meet the inlaws, people form opinions about your brand in seconds.
Before they read your menu, book an appointment, or browse your services, they’re already taking in:
Your colours and typography
Your imagery and layout
Your tone of voice
The overall “vibe” of your brand.
Here’s a simple example you’ve probably experienced:
Two coffee shops. Same quality beans. Similar pricing.
One feels warm, thoughtful, and community-driven. Shelves full of books, attention-grabbing local ads on the board, smiling staff.
The other - a no-fuss menu, plenty of seating. It feels… fine but…bland. Not the sort of place you’d linger over a matcha latte.
Which one do you remember, recommend, and revisit?
That difference comes down to brand personality - not just aesthetics, and here’s why…
More Than Just a Logo
Brand personality isn’t just about what you say. It’s how everything works together:
Visual identity
Tone of voice
Messaging
Social media presence
In-store or client experience
It all needs to tell the same story.
Imagine a boutique beauty brand that looks soft and humble on Instagram, but sounds bold and transformative on the website. It feels disconnected. And the real life effect? Trust and memorability erodes.
With clarity and consistency, you build confidence, recognition and finally loyalty from your audience.
That’s how strong brands grow.
Is your brand persona informal and inclusive, with a focus on community?
Connecting With the Customers You Really Want
One of the biggest frustrations I hear from business owners is:
“I’m visible… but I’m attracting the wrong people.”
I remind them that this usually isn’t about pricing or content. It’s a personality alignment problem.
Your brand personality acts like a filter:
It attracts people who resonate with your values
It gently repels those who don’t
It saves you time, energy, and emotional bandwidth
When your personality is clear, the right customers feel like you’re speaking directly to them - because you are.
How Well Is Your Brand Being Received?
If your brand feels scattered or generic, people easily scroll past, forget you, or choose someone else - even if your offering is strong. But when your personality is clear and consistent, across all communications, your audience knows what to expect. Having a defined brand personality that the right audience resonates with, multiplies your:
Engagement
Enquiries
Bookings
Repeat visits
Recommendations
Because that sense of familiarity builds trust, and trust leads to action.
That’s when you notice how your brand personality impacts customer loyalty in real, measurable ways.
Customer Loyalty and Word of Mouth: The Long Game
Here’s where brand personality really pays off.
When people connect emotionally with your brand:
They come back
They spend more
They talk about you
They recommend you without being asked.
That kind of organic growth is gold - especially if you’re balancing business growth with family time and wellbeing - it’s one less task to worry about.
A strong brand personality turns customers into advocates, so you have one less plate to spin.
Brand Archetypes:
The Framework That Makes It All Click
If you’re reading this and thinking, “I like it, but how do I define my brand personality,” here’s a simple, fun and successful framework so you don’t have to overthink it:
Brand Archetypes.
A proven brand personality framework, brand archetypes are inspired by Carl Jung’s theory of universal character patterns - timeless personalities that shape how we instinctively interpret people, stories, and brands. They’re familiar patterns we recognise instantly, even if we don’t consciously realise it.
Brand archetypes help you pin down the feeling and perception of your brand - is it inspiring or exciting? Disruptive or wise? Visionary or sensual?
Successful businesses use brand archetypes to stand out. And you can too.
The 12 core brand archetypes:
Innocent: Authentic, Pure, Positive
Brand example: Yeo Valley - their emphasis is purity, happiness and working in harmony with nature.Explorer: Adventurous, Breaking Boundaries, Seeking
Think: Trespass - they encourage freedom to explore the outdoors whatever the weather.Sage: Knowledge, wisdom, trust.
Think: L'Oréal - they focus on the science behind the product, enforcing trust and reliability.Hero: Bold, Brave, Strong
Think: Lush Cosmetics - their brave and honest messaging for cruelty free and environmentally friendly products stand up for a better world.Rebel: Disruptive, Outspoken, Fearless
Think: Vans - they’re non-conforming, aligning with countercultures from skateboarding to street art.Magician: Visionary, Inspiring, Transformational
Think: The Fat Duck - a transformative dining experience that uses science and innovation to create whimsical and theatrical dishes.Every-person: Community, Welcoming, Diverse
Think: Costa Coffee - A warm, friendly brand that maintains a casual, welcoming atmosphere, rooted in Italian heritage.Lover: Luxurious, Inviting, Loveable
Think: Häagen-Dazs - they’re sophisticated and seductive, filling your senses with luxurious imagery.Jester: Joyful, Humorous, Entertaining
Think: Ben & Jerry's - their use of playful puns and hand drawn imagery give this brand a fun, carefree and humorous persona, perfect for your inner child.Caregiver: Compassionate, Empathetic, Passionate
Think: Neal’s Yard Remedies - they nurture their customers through ethically sourced products and promote holistic wellbeing whilst actively caring for the planet.Creator: Innovative, Expressive, Visionary
Think: PizzaExpress - artisan, hand crafted by quality pizzaiolos who are passionate about their food, with packaging that shows flair and creativity.Ruler: Expert, Exclusive, Premium
Think: Louis Vuitton - they’re elite, exclusive, with high-end craftsmanship and for shoppers who covet luxury and power.
Each archetype comes with clear traits, motivations, strengths, and communication styles, just like each one of us.
Why Brand Archetypes Work for Small Businesses
Using this brand archetype wheel and personality model you can:
Define your brand personality model
Create consistent messaging
Align visuals and tone of voice
Stay on-brand across every touchpoint
So your audience gets you, your value and your offer instantly. So instead of constant guessing and that creeping doubt, you have a consistent and streamlined blueprint to work from, every time you speak to your audience.
When brands communicate through a defined archetype, the impact can be significant. Some report increases of up to 40% in customer engagement and retention - simply because their messaging feels clearer and more aligned.
How to Determine the Ideal Brand Archetype for Your Business
Whether you’re starting something new or refining an existing brand, understanding your archetype gives you direction.
It helps answer questions like:
What are the key dimensions of my brand personality?
How should my brand sound and feel?
What emotional response do I want to create?
Most importantly, it ensures your brand feels authentic - not forced or trend-driven.
Key Takeaway:
Brand Personality Isn’t Optional
You’ve built a brand because you know you have something amazing to offer. Defining its personality means it will:
Attract the right customers
Feel aligned with who you are
Build recognition and loyalty
Be easier to market, every time
This isn’t about reinventing yourself.
It’s about uncovering what’s already there - and using it intentionally.
Discover Your Brand Archetype
If you’re curious to understand your own brand personality and how to use it strategically, I’ve created a free Brand Archetype Quiz to help you do exactly that.
It’s quick, insightful, and designed to give you clarity you can put to use today.
👉 Take the free Brand Archetype Quiz and discover how your brand personality can help you attract the clients you truly want.
Through thoughtful brand strategy and identity design, I help female business owners craft confident brands that feel aligned and connect with their ideal customers, without the overwhelm, because they deserve a business that truly thrives.
