Student questions
1 What scientific field does the personality approach draw inspiration from?
2 How does the personality approach perceive the exchange between brand and
consumer?
3 Why is self important in the personality approach?
4 What is the difference between personality dimensions and personality traits?
5 What would you use if conducting a study of brand personality, and why?
6 What are the indirect and the direct sources of brand personality?
7 How can early adopters affect the brand personality?
8 What is the relation between brand personality and brand relationship?
9 What kind of relationship should a company aiming at creating a sincere
brand personality expect to be able to achieve with its consumers, and why?
References and further reading
Key readings are in bold type.
Aaker, J. (1997) ‘Dimensions of brand personality’, Journal of Marketing Research, 34
(August): 347–56
Aaker, J., Benet-Martinez, V. and Garolera, J. (2001) ‘Consumption symbols as carriers of
culture: a study of Japanese and Spanish brand personality constructs’, Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 8 (3): 492–508
Aaker, J., Fournier, S. and Brasel, A. S. (2004) ‘When good brands do bad’, Journal of
Consumer Research, 31 (June): 1–16
Ahuvia, A. C. (2005) ‘Beyond the extended self: loved objects and consumers’ identity
narratives’, Journal of Consumer Research, 32 (June): 171–84
Azoulay, A. and Kapferer, J-N. (2003) ‘Do brand personality scales really measure brand
personality?’ Brand Management, 11 (2): 143–155
Belk, R. W. (1988) ‘Possessions and the extended self’, Journal of Consumer Research,
15 (2): 139–68
Chaplin, L. N. and John, D. R. (2005) ‘The development of self-brand connections on
children and adolescent’, Journal of Consumer Research, 32: 119–29
We were so encouraged by the initial results that we studied other agency
brands like Oil of Olay, Jell-o, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Merrill Lynch. All
the brands had clear and measurable personalities. The journey then began to
share this news with clients and integrate brand personality into the Y&R
strategy process. Twenty-five years have passed since Frazier and I stumbled
on to brand personality. It is used throughout the advertising industry
worldwide today and the phenomenon has been studied carefully by leading
academics such as Jennifer Aaker and Kevin Keller in the United States.
SourceEdited version of the preface to Marco Lombardi (ed.) La marca,
una come noi. La personalità di marca nell’era post spot
Milan: Franco Angeli (2007)The personality approach 149