Is Your Brand a Good Citizen? How to Build a Brand Personality That Connects with Consumers

Kai Mendoza in Business & Economy August 2025 • 3 min read.

"Exploring the power of responsibility and activity in shaping brand personality and fostering stronger customer relationships."

In today's marketplace, a brand's personality is as important as the products or services it offers. Brand personality, the set of human characteristics associated with a brand, helps consumers connect on an emotional level, fostering loyalty and advocacy. Among the various dimensions of brand personality, responsibility and activity stand out as particularly relevant in shaping consumer perceptions and driving meaningful relationships.

Responsible brands are seen as down-to-earth, stable, and accountable, while active brands are perceived as dynamic, innovative, and engaging. Both dimensions play a crucial role in building strong consumer-brand relationships (CBR), but their relative impact on key constructs like satisfaction, trust, and loyalty remains a subject of ongoing research.

A recent study delved into the relationships between brand experience, brand personality (specifically responsibility and activity), and key CBR constructs. By exploring how different dimensions of brand experience (sensory, affective, behavioral, and intellectual) influence the perception of responsible and active brands, the study provides valuable insights for marketers seeking to build authentic and resonant brand personalities.

The Pillars of Brand Personality: Responsibility vs. Activity

Before diving into the study's findings, let's define what we mean by responsible and active brand personalities:

A Responsible Brand is perceived as:

Practical and realistic.
Reasonable and sensible.
Trustworthy and reliable.
Morally accountable.

An Active Brand is seen as:

Building a Brand Personality That Resonates

In conclusion, building a strong brand personality requires a nuanced understanding of how different experiences shape consumer perceptions. By focusing on sensory and intellectual experiences, brands can cultivate both responsible and active traits, fostering stronger connections with consumers and driving long-term loyalty. Ultimately, the key lies in aligning brand actions with consumer values and creating authentic experiences that resonate on a deeper level.

About this Article -

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Everything You Need To Know

What is brand personality and why is it important for building customer relationships?

Brand personality is the set of human characteristics associated with a brand. It's crucial because it helps consumers connect on an emotional level, fostering loyalty and advocacy. In today's market, a strong brand personality is as important as the products or services offered, shaping how consumers perceive and interact with a brand. Building a strong brand personality enables the creation of stronger consumer-brand relationships (CBR).

How do 'Responsible' and 'Active' brand personalities differ, and what are the key characteristics of each?

A 'Responsible' brand is perceived as practical, realistic, reasonable, trustworthy, reliable, and morally accountable. An 'Active' brand, on the other hand, is seen as dynamic, innovative, and engaging. Both 'Responsible' and 'Active' brands are essential for creating meaningful consumer-brand relationships (CBR), but they influence customer perceptions differently.

How can brands use different experiences to cultivate 'Responsible' and 'Active' traits within their brand personality?

By focusing on sensory and intellectual experiences, brands can cultivate both 'Responsible' and 'Active' traits. Sensory experiences involve engaging the senses, like creating appealing product packaging or in-store environments. Intellectual experiences involve stimulating the mind, like providing educational content or offering innovative product features. These experiences help shape consumer perceptions and drive long-term loyalty, ultimately helping a brand to connect with consumers.

What impact do 'Responsible' and 'Active' brand personalities have on consumer-brand relationships (CBR), particularly concerning satisfaction, trust, and loyalty?

While the exact impact of 'Responsible' and 'Active' brand personalities on constructs like satisfaction, trust, and loyalty is a subject of ongoing research, both are crucial. Responsible brands, due to their trustworthy and reliable nature, are likely to foster trust and satisfaction. Active brands, being dynamic and innovative, can drive excitement and engagement, potentially boosting satisfaction and loyalty. Building authentic experiences that resonate with consumers on a deeper level is key to the success of CBR.

In the context provided, what is the primary recommendation for brands aiming to resonate with socially conscious consumers?

The primary recommendation is for brands to align their actions with consumer values and create authentic experiences. Building a strong brand personality requires understanding how sensory and intellectual experiences shape consumer perceptions. Brands should focus on cultivating both 'Responsible' and 'Active' traits to foster stronger connections and drive long-term loyalty. This means ensuring brand actions reflect the values consumers care about, like ethical sourcing or environmental sustainability, while also offering innovative and engaging experiences.