Brand personality workshop template

What is a brand personality template?

A brand personality template is a template for Mural’s digital workspace designed to help teams define and articulate the unique character of their brand. By using this template, you can ensure that your brand’s visual identity, tone of voice, and overall aesthetic are consistent and resonate with your target audience. Having a well-defined brand personality is crucial for building a strong connection with customers and differentiating your brand from others.

What exactly is "brand personality," and why is it important for a business?

Brand personality refers to the human characteristics that your brand embodies. It’s the way your brand communicates, interacts, and presents itself to the world. A well-defined brand personality helps create a consistent and relatable image, builds trust, and fosters a deeper emotional connection with your customers. For example, a brand might be seen as friendly, reliable, or innovative, and these traits shape how customers perceive and interact with the brand.

What is a brand personality template, and what are its key components?

A brand personality template typically includes several key sections that guide you through the process of defining and refining your brand’s character. These components are designed to ensure that your brand’s personality is well-rounded and aligned with your business goals. 

The brand personality template helps you:

Define your brand’s core traits

Start by identifying the key traits that you want your brand to embody. These traits should reflect the values and mission of your company. For example, if your brand is focused on innovation, you might include traits like “forward-thinking,” “adventurous,” and “bold.”

Create a visual identity

The template includes sections for visual branding elements such as colors, fonts, and imagery. This helps ensure that your visual identity is consistent and reflects the brand personality you’ve defined. For instance, a brand with a “friendly” personality might use warm, inviting colors and approachable fonts.

Develop a tone of voice

Articulate the way your brand communicates in writing and speech. The tone of voice should be consistent across all channels, from social media to customer service. A brand with a “professional” personality might use a formal, precise tone, while a “fun” brand might opt for a more playful and conversational style.

Align with brand guidelines

Integrate your brand personality into your brand guidelines. This ensures that everyone in your organization understands and adheres to the brand’s character, making it easier to maintain consistency across all touchpoints.

Enhance brand imagery

Determine the types of images and visuals that best represent your brand. This could include lifestyle photos, product shots, or abstract designs. The template helps you curate a collection of imagery that aligns with your brand’s personality.

How to use the brand personality template

Step 1: Set up the template

Create a “New mural from template” and customize it to fit your needs, including a title and any other foundational information you want to include.

Step 2: Establish roles

For this exercise, you will need a moderator to run the session and a decider to be the tiebreaker when necessary. Ideally, you would know who the moderator is before bringing other people into the session, so they have time to prepare. 

Step 3: Complete the “Is/Is Not” exercise

Defining “Is / Is Not” pairs is a useful way to start honing in on your brand’s personality. For instance, maybe your brand IS “smart” but IS NOT “intellectual.” For this exercise, it’s best to choose words that are similar in meaning but different in connotation, as opposed to words that are direct opposites. Getting the language as precise as possible is key to creating a brand personality that is unique and understandable. 

After everyone presents their pairs, vote to find the five that best represent your brand.

Step 4: Complete the “What if your brand were a room?” exercise

Follow the instructions in the Mural to choose the items of furniture that best represent your brand, then vote for the three best selections. This exercise can be a helpful way to determine and define your brand aesthetics: Is your brand comfortable? Sleek? Avant-garde? Or homey?

Step 5: Regroup and discuss

What have you learned about your brand identity in these exercises? Now that you’ve gotten the discussion started, use your findings to flesh out your brand personality further.

When to use the brand personality template (with examples)

When starting a new brand

If you’re launching a new brand, the Brand personality template can help you establish a clear and consistent identity from the beginning, ensuring that your brand resonates with your target audience and stands out in the market.

When rebranding an existing brand

If you’re rebranding, the template can be used to reassess and redefine your brand’s personality. This is especially useful if you’re looking to shift your brand’s image or expand into new markets. For example, a tech company might use the template to start transitioning from a “reliable” to a “cutting-edge” personality.

When launching a new product or campaign

Before launching a new product or marketing campaign, use the Brand personality template to ensure that the messaging and visuals align with your brand’s character. This helps maintain brand consistency and ensures that new initiatives are well-received by your audience.

When conducting a branding workshop

Use the template during a branding workshop to facilitate a collaborative discussion among team members. This helps gather diverse perspectives and ensures that the final brand personality details a well-rounded, shared vision. For example, a marketing team might use the template to align on the brand’s tone of voice for a new advertising campaign.

Tips for running a brand personality workshop

Start with a clear objective

Before you begin, define the purpose of the workshop. Are you trying to establish a new brand personality, refine an existing one, or align on a specific project? A clear objective will keep the session focused and productive.

Involve diverse team members

Include people from different departments, such as marketing, design, and customer service. This diverse input ensures that the brand personality is consistent across all touchpoints and resonates with a wide range of perspectives.

Use the template as a guide, not a rulebook

While the template provides a structured framework to kickstart brainstorming, be flexible and allow the conversation to flow naturally. If the discussion leads to new insights or ideas, make sure to capture them in the template.

Iterate and refine

After the initial workshop, review the results and make any necessary adjustments. The brand personality should be a living document that evolves as your brand grows and changes. Regularly revisit the template to ensure it remains relevant and effective.