Humanization of Brands

  Consumers prefer brands they connect with on a personal level. One way to connect is making a brand feel more humanlike. Not tricking consumers into thinking a brand is actually a person (unless it is a person), but applying human characteristics for the sake of sharing benefits with those who appreciate them most. A well-crafted brand personality provides a guide for all communications to deliver compelling, emotionally-charged messages. Logos, colors, taglines, and other trademarked assets provide consistent cues for a brand. Consistency is necessary when developing trust; however, flexibility allows messages to be adapted to every application, giving the…

Website Aesthetics: Turning Traffic Into Fans

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of articles online discussing aspects of effective websites for online marketing. Many of them address the issue of driving traffic through organic SEO and pay-per-click strategies. Not to take anything away from these important elements, I would like to touch on the importance of building personality through aesthetics. Aesthetics will influence your visitors’ perceptions and responses within seconds of reaching a landing page. First impressions are critical in gaining attention and keeping visitors on the site. A poor impression risks losing them indefinitely. Stephen Anderson’s article, ‘In Defense of Eye Candy,’ makes a compelling…