The Article is about the Personification of Product through varied associations.

1. PRODUCT PERSONALITY
- An Application Approach
A product manager thinks of adding a distinct screeching and guzzling sound into his new bike,
gets its patent done and does the placement of the bike in an action movie having some
aspirational character…
Just think of.., when this distinct sound of the bike immerses our mind through digitally surround
sound dolby effect creates association with the personality of the hero of the film. Now every
time the sound reverberates on road it recreates the personality of the hero. Yeah, a little
deviation from the concept of Brand Personality.
Products are what companies make, but customers buy the brands. How does the brand look,
taste, smell, sound, etc? Brands attempt to satisfy the consumer's quest through the product it
represents for sensory gratification, convenience, aesthetic pleasure, intellectual satisfaction.
Therefore, marketers resort to branding in order to distinguish their offerings from similar
products and services provided by their competitors. One of the tool to differentiate is Brand
Personality. Here people tend to define themselves in terms of the symbolic value of the brands
they possess.
Human Beings in their whole life - live, love and like people of their own type. They always try
to find themselves in others and end up finding good friends. Same happens when consumers
buys the product. They try to mirror themselves with product. They buy the product to which they
are easily able to relate with. They in fact relate themselves with the component of the product
1

2. i.e., colour, odour, texture, shape, sound etc. Its comparable personality of the product or can be
called as the Product Personality, which is a subset of larger concept of Brand Personality.
PRODUCT PERSONALITY
PRODUCT PERSONALITY - Unplugged
As a sizeable section of our society graduates from basic needs level to a somewhat higher
evolved needs, more and more products must offer not only physical or functional satisfaction but
psychological or non-functional rewards as well.
Products take on symbolic meaning and we buy them as much for their physical benefits as their
symbolic or non-functional ones. This is self evident when we look at products which we use in
public and whose symbolic meaning gets ingrained through its style, colour, design, smell on us
and in the eyes of the beholder. Scorpio – a multi-utility vehicle in India find its takers from the
political parties as the vehicle reflect brute power and which they can easily project it with the
symbol of vehicle. Scorpio dealers there then devised specific marketing programme to penetrate
the segment. This however can turn out to be a personality trap, if the users don’t belong to
intended brand personality.
On the other hand Ambassador, a white spacious car with classical oblong curves donnes the
personality of absolute power. The car is the official car of government of India. Barring
sturdiness the car fares very low on other features but still government of India and bureucrats
subscribes to the personality of the car. Hindustan Motors the manufacturer of this car have been
piggy backing on this image since last four decades
2

3. In India, youngsters many times make a trade-off for buying a bike than scooter. Scooter has
some advantage like leg space, dickey, stepney over a bike but still PP (Product Personality)
element in bike for youngsters, makes him to decide in favour of purchasing a bike. However off-
late users image of Honda Activa emerging out to be of young, jazzy. In fact Activa personality is
becoming the crossover of Bike and scooter users.
Product Personality is about perception a person holds in form of personality for any particular
combination of style, design, texture, shape, colour, weight, sound and smell of a product.
Variables of Product Personality
To understand the concept and formation of Product Personality, we can dissect the Product
Personality concept into certain variables. These variables are-
Take in Table 1
Each variable mentioned above contributes in adding certain meaning to that complex symbol,
the personality of the product. Not all variables are present in different types of product. There
are always few variables or elements which play the key role in deciding the personality of the
product category. Key elements for source of the product’s personality.
Take in Table 2
These elements are the key variable which will decide their product personality formation from
the marketer side .Each element here can be taken as adding little meaning to the personality
creation of the product.
3

4. Source of Product Personality
Why orange soft drink personality is of teens and fun ,higher c.c. bikes of macho and
dominating .How these associations are formed , what is the process ? Various Product
Personalities suddenly surface or they evolve with time .
Product Personality development can be attributed mainly to following three factors-
1) Type of Users , product is having over the years .
2) Cumulative effect of Brand Personalities of different brands .
3) Natural associations , an age old process .
1) TYPES OF USERS
The perception about Harley and Davidson in U.S.A. dates back to late 1920s and 1930s ,years
of hard times and high unemployment , when a gypsy lifestyle was embraced by some as they
roamed over the country unthethered by job or responsibilities ,often dirty sometimes drunken ,
always noisy as their machines roared city streets .Regardless of the number of motorcyclists
,who actually fit that description , and regardless of general invalidity of it , U.S. Police was also
using it .
-Rober.F.Harley in Marketing Mistakes
Honda found it difficult to break this widely publicised image. They promoted the brand as "Go
Happy, go Honda ". Most Americans had never ridden or driven a motorcycle, and the negative
image of motorcyclists stood in the way of Honda, who wanted to attract a large new market and
widely publicised it.
People start using the product because of the specific benefit. If two wheeler is light, has self
start, side stand and colourful then teens or ladies will be driving it and if majority of users are
4

5. ladies then Product Personality statement will feminine. Two wheeler may be a symbol of elegant
femininity in Italy, or the technology of rebels in the U.K. and U.S.A., but in India it is a
utilitarian vehicle used as personal and family transport by middle class, consumers who cannot
afford cars. As the number of brand because of the control regime were few and this situation
continued for at least two decades in case of scooters with Bajaj leading the fray. Associations
between the category with their distinct shape and users deeply impregnated the mind of people.
LML the other player outpaced Bajaj on style and thus little broke the category from the shackles
of family, rational and orthodox image.
Few years back cotton being cheap was generally worn by lower class people and terrycot was
the craze of upclass consumers. Above scenario has taken a full circle when pure cotton has
become the habit of upper class. This is because that most of the premium brands launched cotton
in 90s.
Yellow colour detergent Nirma was targeted to lower middle class income group. Association of
this segment with Nirma is so old that now yellow colour detergents personality of struggling,
traditional, orthodox middle class is difficult to break. Nirma tried to peel of this personality but
all in vain.
Therefore, to conclude, the factor which play important role in the formation of product
personality are:
 Profile of people using the product because of specific benefits they are getting from the
product.
 The profile of the majority of users of the category.
 Duration of association of particular types of users with the product .
5

6. 2) CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF BRAND PERSONALITY OF DIFFERENT BRANDS
General principle is, when Brand Personality created by different companies compete in a
category, the resultant is a Product Personality of the category.
However, Coca-Cola was the first one to start the soft drink category in India but Thums up was
the first one to come with distinct Brand Personality of adventure and thrill. Product Personality
took its meaning from Brand Personality of Thump up, which was then the only brand in 80s.
Thums up Cola Soft Drink
Adventure, Sporty Adventure, Sporty
Gold Spot Orange Soft Drink
Young, Bubbly Young, Bubbly
Later in 90s many brands came in the above category to add more meaning to Product Personality
of the category.
Cola Soft Drink -Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Thums Up.
Orange Soft Drink - Gold Spot, Fanta, Mirinda.
Product personality is more important for soft drink because of it being impulse purchase item.
Youngster most of the time will prefer to have any cola drink, if any specific brand is not
available with the retailer. As, from one of the blind test conducted in USA it was found that
people were not able to identify the brand of cola they consumed. In case of soft drink, the
instance it is poured in glass the brand personality loses its importance.
6

7. The upper age bracket in India consume more serious aerated drink category i.e., lemon based
Limca. Off late Sprite and 7up are trying to break the mould with their hip and witty Brand
Personality thus conditioning green bottle and transparent lime drink with some youthful image
Contrary to it, Minto and Polo are clear-cut case where the category personality is of teens and
above age group. Mint as a product is very old and it connoted childish traits, until above Brands
came in 90's.
3. NATURAL ASSOCIATIONS
Many elements of product personality have got age-old associations, How and when these
associations developed is unknown. White colour from the time immemoria symbolises peace.
Each colours symbolic meaning may change with situation, culture and type of product, it is
applied. Various odours too have symbolism of certain traits.
Types of odours and their symbolism
Take in Table 3
Soft Lessons for Fine Results
In-depth understanding of the product personality as a component of Brand Personality
gives us a direction on the basis of which we can leverage and can find a distinct spot in
this cluttered marketplace. The concept is of immense practical help to Marketing
Managers, Product Managers, Product Development teams, Design Institutes and Design
Consultants, Brand Managers, Corporate Communication Executives, Advertising
Executives and Client Executives, Copywriters, Visualisers and Graphic Artists alike.
7

8. 1) Many attributes which become the integral part of the product or the brand develop an
identity for the product . They take on some symbolic meaning, which holds very important
place in the mind of the consumers. Nobody can think of removing blue colour from Jeans
or knocking sound from Harley & Davidson bike. Moreover such elements have deeply
entrenched the mind of consumers and form part of the product’s core.
A company introduced one compact tractor model with greater horsepower, better fuel
efficiency and in pastel colors. It failed badly. Why? Major market for tractor is, rural area
where they attach premium to largeness- where bigger means better value. This example
best signifies the Product Personality appeal in the success of any brand instead of only
product performance.
Lesson: Don’t remove the attribute which is an identity of the product
2) Many times consumers need the good of both the worlds. Youngster having the liking
for the bike may end up buying scooter because of multiple use of leg space. Design
Engineers should understand this point and should try to inject more of style in scooter
having utility features. LML in 80s tried that, and many youngsters quickly shifted and
adopted the category due to the presence of style element in it.
Lesson: Make the Product or Brand acceptable by adding sensory attribute relevant
to the target segment.
3) New Product Development Managers, Design Engineers and Brand Managers should
work in integrated manner to create sharp and focused personality of their product. If they
work in isolation, Design Engineers will not know consumer aspirations and expectations
8

9. regarding products aesthetics. While Brand Managers will target, position and create
personality without realizing the design constraints or late launch by Product Development
Managers may leave the product design obsolete.
Lesson: Develop integrated marketing system for the people involved in the product
launch.
4) There exists a perceptual barrier due to entrenched association regarding a category.
Brand Managers should try to understand the psychological intricacies happening in the
mind of consumers. These associations may be due to shapes, colour or material. Avenues
Advertising faced this problem with VIP Frenchie, which was having severe female
connotation due to its shape. Agency solved this problem by taking the communication to
the extreme side, where a male model flaunts his underwear in an outdoor action situation.
Take in Figure 1
Lesson: Unsought Product Personality associations could be melted through Brand
Personality advertisements.
5) Some type of perceptual problems, which arises due to shape, size, material colour,
could be solved through transcending relevant elements of Product Personality. Brawn and
Gillette made the product personality relevant to target segment i.e., new women. They
changed the various elements as
Take in table 4
9

10. Lesson: Break the Product Personality components and change the associations of the
components according to the perceptual anchors of new or an additional target
segments.
6) Before finalizing various elements of product design, one has to see that whether any
element (shape, size, colour, texture etc.) has poor, prior association which is not in tandem
with the targeted personality. Fiat Uno in India had that problem . It was merely the blown-
up clone of Maruti 800 a car for Indian middle class, which was offered at higher price. So
people however shelved 3.5lacs but still were in the image trap of Maruti 800 user
Lesson: Product Personality components with poor prior associations should be
truncated or should not be added.
7) Smart use of natural associations can provide that little extra, which can carve out
intended personality in the mind of consumers. Line Extension of Liril launched in menthol
and in light blue translucent colour was able to justify its fresh, young and nimble
personality. Similarly in Zen Classic a tinge of classiness was added by the virtue of its
finely polished wooden dashboard and glittering circular head and tail lights.
Lesson: Favourable natural associations should be explored which supports the theme
of the brand.
8) The people who are exposed to Ads and process the information imparted by the Ads
deeply are again very less. More the viewer is involved with the Ad more he will retain the
information and thus Brand Personality if any, gets subconsciously embedded in his mind.
People seeing TV are more, but being exposed to ads are less. Problem exponentially
10

11. increases with the increase in number of channels, which give birth to the problem of
Zapping.
So Brand Personality communication which is not complete, could be completed with the
help of Product Personality. Product Personality can be constructed with the help of its
different variable i.e., colour, style, design, odour so as to add to the meaning of intended
Brand Personality. Thus consumer will be able to comprehend the Personality by messages
coming from different sources and thus it will get reinforced .
Lesson: Brand Personality advertisements and Product Personality components
should work in unison to create a focused personality of the brand.
9) If product or the brand is targeted to youngsters than there could be more emphasis on
TV ads, to appeal them through sharp and in-depth characterisation. Situations where the
product is targeted to upper age groups, Press could be the best choice. Hathaway
Man(personality) for Hathaway shirts as created through series of press ads in 60s by
Ogilvy & Mather.
Personality for Chief Brand of match box was created just with the help of hoarding ads
and personality been described in words on the other side of the match box. Idea must have
been to position it for niche segment i.e., cigarette smoker.
Lesson: To increase the Brand Personality comprehension among upper age groups,
novel media should be tried.
11

12. 10) Product Managers while deciding on attributes(which appeal to senses)should know the
existing associations with these attributes of a product category in the perceptual mindspace
of specific market segment. Now-a-days, more the segment is up class more cushioned and
angular is the shape of the soap. Bright colour cloths are now been integrated with the
office situation, courtesy: Allen Solly- which introduced the concept of colour shirt during
formal occasions.
Lesson: Efforts should be on to create new associations with the help of Brand
Personality advertisements.
11) If Product Managers or Brand Managers are serious about creating sharp and focused
personality, then they should not accede to the lure of getting marginal markets. Personality
of the brand or the product may get effected due to the entry of unwanted users. These
users (their personality) may subliminally dilute the intended personality created by the
company. For upclass products, price is one of the barrier which may discourage such types
of users to come into the brand fold.
In case of Hajmola, Children were consuming it because of its taste and regardless of the
purpose it was meant for. Adult took it as fun tablet of children and many times they shifted
to more serious products like Gaisantak Bati, Eno and Pudin Hara. This was an OTC
product further falling into a specific segment trap. By keeping the functional attribute of
taste as tasteless, a barrier could have been created for children coming into its fold and
thus keeping the product's personality(that part which emanates from Users) of serious,
adult and meaningful person intact.
12

13. Lesson: Certain segment can be discouraged by inducing unsought Product
Personality components of that segment.
12) Khadi, a traditional Indian cloth at the downhill of product life cycle finds its solace in
being used as trendy fashion wear. K.V.I.C. contacted National Institute of Design (NID)
and National Institute of Fashion Technology(NIFT) for the turnaround of the fate of this
cloth. Fashion Designers are now using it more frequently as a base cloth.
Steel which is a strong material already has given way to home accessories made up of
trendy material like plastic, aerosol. But steel furniture are very quickly catching up,
courtesy; serials in Star Plus.
Lesson: Material as a Product Personality attribute can be made acceptable by
sprucing it with help of other Product Personality components like Shape and Colour.
References;
• Parv:thy Ullatil and Prasad Sanameshwaran, “In search of kinetic energy,” Tuesday,
12th
August 2003, Pg.3
• Mallika Rodrigues, “Mac Attack,” Wednesday, 13th
August, 2007
• Dawn Lacobucci, Kellog on Marketing, 2003
• S.R. Sengupta, The Art of the Brand – The ten commandments of strategic design,
Rupa & Co.
• Paul Southgate, Total branding by design,” Kogan Page Ltd.,1995
13

14. • Bernd Schmitt and Alex Simonson, Marketing Aesthetics – The strategic
management of brand identity and image, The Free Press,1997
• Prasad Sangameshwaran, Scorpio’s low-cost drive, Tuesday, 18th
March, 2003
• Shekhar Trivedi, “Product Personality versus Brand Personality- A Study in Indian
context,” Ph.D. work, 2003
• Harsh V. Verma, Brand Management, Excel Books, 2005
• Y.L.R. Murthy, Brand Management, Vikas Publication, 2003
• Michael Gershman, Getting it right the second time, Roli Books, 2005
• Sanal Kumar Velayudhan, Rural Marketing, Response Books, 2003
• Arindam Mukherjee, Variant Venture(Zen Classic), A&M, 30th
September,1999
• Sandipan Deb, Back in the Ring(LML Vespa), A&M, September, 1993
• Priya Sahai, The Power of the Heel(Pudin Hara), A&M, 31st
July,1996
• Prasanth Prabhakaran, Changing Moulds(Brito Plastics), A&M, 31st
July,1996
• Priya Sahai, A Serving for the Soul(Rooh Afza), A&M, 15th
August,1996
• Ratna Bhusan, Going round in Circles(Minto), A&M, 1-15 March,1998
• Ravi Rajan, Gaining Momentum, A&M, May 1990
• Gautam Rakshit, A Brief Story, A&M, November 1990
14