A character or spokesperson associated with a brand can give it emotions, and bring the brand to life. It also ensures that the targeted audience feels connected to the brand, and that the brand is easily recognisable. However, these same brand characters can create problems for digital marketing specialists, who are given the responsibility of expanding a brand character for digital marketing platforms.

We recently spoke with a group of leading digital marketing experts, and discussed the problems faced while working with brand characters over various digital marketing channels, including social media. Below are some key points which digital marketing professionals should keep in mind, while expanding real and animated brand characters for the digital medium:

• Asset management: A brand character is a valuable business asset that takes time to build. They can be misused, just like other assets, and hence need to be protected. In some cases, a brand character may even be more valuable than the brand they symbolise. For example, Flo (Progressive Insurance’s clerk character) has more fans on Facebook, than Progressive Insurance itself.

• Emotional advantages: The benefits of a brand character are usually different from the benefits of their corresponding brand. Sometimes, characters are given a strong emotional value while the brands are kept logical. This creates a powerful combination, which enables companies to strongly connect with prospective customers. While brand characters focus on the fun aspects, the actual brand has to focus on rational stuff, like answering customer queries.

• Recall value: Brand characters can help your company get noticed amongst the crowd of digital marketing advertisers, because of their inherent recall value. If a brand is promoting a new product, a brand personality can give them a huge advantage while persuading customers.

Brand characters have been on television, magazines and product wrappers, and until now have never spoken back to a customer. However, when a company moves from one-way advertising (radio, TV and print) to the interactive space, digital marketing professionals will have to consider what audiences will expect of the brand personality.

You have been entrusted with bringing a popular brand character to the audience in a more personal way. While the digital medium offers interesting opportunities for greater interaction, there are also chances of making big mistakes. The most important thing is to ensure your brand character is believable, and draw up a list of things it shouldn’t do or shouldn’t say.

Qudos Digital is a leading digital marketing agency, and can be contacted on 0845 388 5583 or info@qudosdigital.co.uk.