Analysing the Effectiveness of the Personality Symbols Part 1

Analysing the Effectiveness of the Personality Symbols/Icons Abstract Personality symbol can cover all the identifications of the brand. It can be the face or the soul of the company. Their effect on the brand image is huge. The research focuses on calculating the roles and effectives of the personality symbols. It aims to bring in suggestions for developing a successful personality symbols and lists advantages and disadvantages of different types of personality symbols. It does a detailed copy testing. Apart from conducting focus groups to analyse how the target market interprets the personality symbols it also conducts in depth interviews both with the advertising agencies and the targeted audiences. Introduction This study focuses on the roles and effectiveness of personality symbols in the TV commercials. It defines what personality symbol is and underlines its possible limitations and advantages. The study also by providing examples of internationally recognized personality symbols and by discussing their characteristics it groups them into different categories such as human, abstract or iconic. Then, it aims to calculate how much each type of personality symbol conveys the brand’s messages and allows it to be read successfully as it is ‘originally’ intended. It also develops suggestion lists for creating a successful personality symbols. The research is composed of three parts. In the first part scheduled interviews have been carried out with the chosen advertising agencies which had developed personality symbols. In the second part of the research, the audiences with the characteristics allowing them to be the target market of the chosen personality symbols were interviewed. Focus groups have also been conducted to analyse how the target market interprets the personality symbols. In the third and the final part of the research the information obtained from the potential target market and the information received from the related personality symbol creators (advertising agencies) have been compared. The information gathered from this comparison allows us to calculate the effectiveness of each type of personality symbol. The research in general provides information on whether the TV commercials with personality symbols attract people and if they could be remembered. It also indicates the advantages and the disadvantages of each type of personality symbol in conveying the intended brand messages. Understanding Personality Symbols Personality symbol is a type of advertising execution. It involves developing a central character through which the brand delivers its benefits. It also allows the brand to build an identity, to differentiate itself from the competitors. In other words, personality symbol is creating a symbol/icon that is associated with the product or the brand (Belch and Belch, 1999, p.274). According to Zeren successful personality symbols are sincere and consistent. They have an identity. They do not lie. Personality symbols project ones needs and wishes. People see what they want to be in the personality symbols. For him, creating a personality symbol is social engineering. It targets the social needs and it is one of the most effective strategies in the field of marketing communication. (Zeren A., 2009, Sunday, 27 September 2009 23:47, Reklamlarda İkon Kullanımı (Use of icons in Advertisements), Pazarilla). Some internationally well -known examples of personality symbols are Tony the Tiger, Energizer Bunny, Mr. Peanut, Johnnie Walker, Betty Crocker, Marlboro Man, Michelin Man, Quaker Oat Man, Charlie the Tuna, the Jolly Green Giant and so on. Personality symbols can be used for different product types and can aim to reach different target markets. The use of personality symbol goes back to late 1800’s. One of the oldest personality symbols created in 1893 is Aunt Jemima, promoting pancake mixes and syrup. The other oldest personality symbol which is still in use just like Aunt Jemima is Michelin Tyre’s personality symbol, Michelin Man. A successfully, well developed personality symbol can provide durability in the messages and therefore build a prestige for the brand. Also by using personality symbols remembering the brand is made easy and its benefits can be conveyed easily. Mostly the creative advertising campaigns that base their communication strategy on personality symbols find the adaption of their messages to other formats and media channels easier as well. (Marra, J.L., 1990, p.25). A personality symbol can take place at the TV commercials; can also be adapted to billboards and magazines. As M&M does, personality symbols can also be used on the pack and be a sales promotion element as well. KFC uses its personality symbol as plastic salt and pepper shaker, McDonalds turned its personality symbol into a plastic piggy bank. Also Kellogg’s personality symbols Tony the Tiger and the Jolly Green Giant have been converted into vinyl squeeze toys (Dotz, 1997, p. 27, 37 ). Personality symbols can get their place in your home and appear on the screen. Since a personality symbol is a character whom can walk, talk, sing, taste food, it becomes convenient to give them a part in any activity that are sponsored by the company as well. A personality symbol can become a friend or a cultural icon. In other words, personality symbols not only stay as characters that appear in the papers or on the screens but can also be transferred into ‘real’ life. They can mentally and physically touch their target market. The opportunity to have an easy adaptability of a personality symbol can also help it to stick in the target audiences’ minds. Types of Personality Symbols Although there are some collected information and many references sharing the visual examples of the personality symbols there are not many studies focusing on the types of the personality symbols. This paper covers many different examples of the personality symbols and tried to group them. Although personality symbols should not be limited with the given list grouping them is also useful while aiming to analyse them. The most used personality symbols can be found in five different groups: 1. Human, 2. Animal, 3. Magical, mythical or an already known character, 4. Iconic, 5. Illusionary or Abstract. Personality symbols can be human. Whereas a human personality symbol can be a ‘real, living’, celebrity or an ordinary person, he/she can also be a ‘created’ person. For example “Betty Crocker is a computer generated hybrid of 75 real American faces” (Schultz, D.P, Schultz, S. E., 1998, p. 462). Depending on the message a child, a man or a woman can be selected. There are many human personality symbols from different ethnic backgrounds as well. Some examples for human personality symbols are Aunt Jemima, Oaken Oats Man, Betty Crocker, Blue Nun, Ronald McDonald, Marlboro Man, and Colonel Sanders... 1. Here are some examples of human personality symbols Personality symbols can be animals too. Such as Eveready batteries’ Eveready Cat, Borden dairy product’s Elsie Cow, Tony the Tiger for the Kellogg Company, sugar frosted flakes, Hamm’s Bear for Pabst Brewing Company or Nestle chocolate’s Nestle Rabbit. The animal personality symbols can be developed in different techniques. Some are puppets, some are animations or cartoon and some has a ‘real’ look. The teddy bear personality symbol of the fabric softener Snuggle is suggested as “….a perfect symbol for a fabric softener that tames the rough texture of clothing” (Belch, G.E. and Belch M.A., 1998, p. 142). Dotz and Morton (1996) stresses the semiotic analyses for the usage of the bears as advertising characters and suggest that to use a real bear or a teddy bear creates significant difference on the perception. Whereas real bear imparts a sense of nature, teddy bears are used for their cute cuddliness (Dotz, W. and Morton J. 1996, p.44). As Dotz and Morton (1996) also highlight the assistance of the animalism –the historical attributes to animals and the embodiments of various spirits- in selecting an animal personality symbol. For example the reason why Eveready chose a cat is, because “….of the old myth that cats have nine lives” (1996, p 42). All these explanations give us clues that choosing a correct personality symbol which will deliver the desired message and allow it to be perceived as intended is a complex issue. Not only choosing the type of the personality symbol but choosing which production/execution techniques will be used can also be a very important decision that can affect the whole success of the communication. 2. Here are some examples of animal personality symbols. The other type of the personality symbol is magical, mythical or already known characters such as Peter Pan, Pegasus, Mr. Bean or Facit Wizard that are re-created as personality symbols. For example, Budweiser beer has created the Bud Man personality symbol from Superman. Campbell Soup Company has used Wizard of Oz (Dotz, 1997, p.53). This type of personality symbols can be human, animal or an abstract one. From time to time companies might also use already known characters such as Red Kit, Garfield, James Bond or Robin Hood. They might not be as magical as Pegasus but they are still already known characters. This type of personality symbols can be called” inter-textual” personality symbols. Turkcell has been one of the campanies that had prefered to used inter-textual personality symbol for launching its pre-paid phone system. 3. Here are some examples of inter-textual personality symbols. Personality symbols can also be iconic where the product or one part or the raw material of the product turns into a human figure by adding eyes, hands or legs. This type of personality symbols can also be called “literal figures”. For instance, Planters Peanuts’, Mr. Peanut, the Esso Oil drop for Exxon Corporation, the Michelin Man (Bibendum) for the Michelin Tire Corporation, Heinz Tomato Juice’s, Aristocrat tomato or M&M Characters (examples gathered from Dotz and Morton, 1996; Dotz, 1997). 4. Here are some examples of iconic symbols. Personality symbols can be illusionary or abstract too. They can be mixture of many different objects or subjects. Like in the case of Turkish brand Turkcell. Rabbit’s bottom, snail’s antennas and waitress’s costume has been combined to create Turkcell’s personality symbol Cell-zi.. Ritalin Man and Actigall Gall Bladder have abstract shapes too. However, they all resemble human. 5. Here are some examples of illusionary/abstract personality symbols. The techniques that you can apply to produce a personality symbol are endless. Stop motion, cartoon characters, animations, real faces, and so on. The creation of a personality symbol involves conceptualising. Brand’s characteristics, its identity as well as the target market need to be well understood. Personality Symbol as the Company’s meaning Loaded Value Guide Personality symbol can cover all the identifications of the brand. It can be the face or the soul of the company. They can be meaning loaded. Each symbol might hold many different values and meanings. Therefore, there always can be multiple readings of a personality symbols. Personality symbols are symbols and like any other symbols personality symbols “….represent an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbol) .They “….represent something else by association, resemblance, or convention…” (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/symbol). As Berger defines, a symbol is a concrete object, a character or a letter, which stands for an intangible object or idea (1991, p.4). Like any other symbols, personality symbols are open to many interpretations which depend on culture as well as on the individual. Each audience’s class, age, gender, ethnic background and education can affect his/her interpretation. Stuart Hall suggests that “receivers can change certain meanings by their interpretations” Hall points out three positions for the reader of a text (personality symbol). 1. Dominant, a reader completely agrees with the text. (This is the kind of reading one wish to obtain for the personality symbols). 2. Negotiated reading, the reader partly shares the text’s code. 3. Oppositional reader, the reader completely disagrees with the text. Thus, the production of the personality symbol developed together with the creator (advertising agency) and the reader/target market. For a successful symbol the reading should be a dominant one. Morley has a slightly different point from Hall. He suggests that any individual or group might operate different decoding strategies in relation to different topics and different contexts. In other words, a person might make dominant reading of the same material (personality symbol) in one context and oppositional in other context. Morley takes the argument of dominant reading a bit further and from his arguments we can suggest that even a reader completely agrees with the suggested meaning of the personality symbol later by the effect of the other contacts he/she can start decoding the personality symbol in different ways. Therefore, how does the culture or the other receivers apart from the target audiences take part in the meaning creation of the personality symbol have essential effect on the success of the personality symbols. That is to say, others’ interpretations have the potential to affect the impact of the personality symbol on the target market. During 2001, 2002 the Turkish company Turkcell (the first GSM operator in Turkey) experienced such a case. The company started to use a personality symbol for promoting its prepaid phone system (which is called HazırKart). The personality symbol was called ‘Free Girl’. She was a young, good looking woman. As the advertising agency says the feelings they aimed to convey by her were freedom, travelling and a sense of discovery (Halim, 2002, p.93). ‘Free Girl’ was travelling in the different cities of Turkey. Audiences were seeing her on the bus, on a train, climbing up to the mountains or in a boat. Wherever she goes she is able to connect and talk with her friends. Depending on the Halim’s MA Thesis although 68.57% of the potential target market claimed that through her they sensed freedom, 26.05% of the surveyed found her unrealistic. They said that Free Girl does not represent Turkish culture (Halim, 2002, p. 94). What is more, on one of the national TV channels Hamdi Alkan’s comedy TV program called ‘Reyting Hamdi’ a special episode about Free Girl was prepared where she always gets trouble while travelling. After this interpretation of Alkan’s in media some writers started to suggest that a young, lonely woman travelling all through the year and every hour of the day does not suit the Turkish culture. Atıf in his articles said that the way how Free Girl presents the concept of freedom is problematic (Ali Atıf Bir, “Diziler Zorunlu Gıda Maddesi Mi / Hızır Kız!”- Are Soap operas compulsory food/ Ready Girl, Hürriyet Newspaper, 6.6.2004.Ali Atıf Bir, “Zaman: Reklamın isi eğlendirmek degil / Merve’yi kim götürüyor?” – The duty of advertising is not to entertain / who is having an affair with Merve, Hürriyet Newspaper, 29.8.2004). Ekdi (2005) also in his research says that although Free Girl has been firmly associated with Hazır Kart and freedom through the campaign, there have been different arguments about freedom, women and Turkish culture which from time to time affected the personality symbol, Free Girl in a negative way (p. 145-46). After the rise of such interpretations Free Girl started to have a Free Boy whom was her lover and they started to search for each other. During the time, the advertising agency explained this change by saying that they wanted to make the story of the commercial more interesting and to make Free Girl more realistic. This case gives us some useful clues how the other texts or the un-targeted audiences might affect the targeted audiences’ dominant readings and blur the success of the personality symbol. Personality symbol might be a very useful communication strategy however creating a successful personality symbol is not an easy job. This research can help you in creating durable and understandable personality symbols. Above all it can guide you in creating a personality symbol that will provide dominant readings and will not be negatively affected by others’ interpretations. The Research: Analysing the Role and the Effectiveness of Personality Symbols in Turkish TV Commercials The research focuses on calculating the roles and effectives of the personality symbols. It aims to bring in suggestions for developing a successful personality symbols and lists advantages and disadvantages of different types of personality symbols. Information about the chosen personality symbols: In total 6 different personality symbols have been selected. Whereas two of them have been abounded (in 2003) other 4 are still in use. The chosen personality symbols aim to reach different target markets. They are chosen from the commercials broadcasting in the Turkish TV channels. Lion Max is a lion personality symbol of Algida’s stick ice creams. As the advertising agency points out they target children aged 6 to 12. Lion Max appears on the package, in the commercials, as a promotion tool and as a point of purchase object. 6. Lion Max Dalin’s personality symbol is another chosen symbol for the analysis. Dalin is a shampoo for babies. It is produced by Kopaş Cosmetics in İstanbul, Turkey. Its personality symbols are chicks. Dalin supports its personality symbol with a jingle. As the advertising agency states their target market consists of mothers with an average income who have children under the age of 12.