Brand Personas with a Story - How they are created and categorized

Sammanfattning: Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore how the phenomenon of brand personas with a story can be constructed and categorized by integrating literature theory, illustrated by case examples. There is a need for this type of study, as a profound knowledge gap exists in relation to brand personas, their stories and the creation of them as characters. Thus, the study is foundational and conceptual. Theoretical perspective: The phenomenon of brand personas with a story within the field of strategic brand management is explored through the lense of literature theory. Methodology: A document analysis with case examples that illustrates the phenomenon has been conducted. The case examples have been analyzed through thematic analysis. Empirical data: Secondary data created by the companies behind the brand personas that tell their story in the form of documents such as websites, advertorials and videos. The selected material must be publicly accessible and published and/or created by the company. Findings: This study has identified and defined the phenomenon of brand personas with a story. The study has identified six elements that can be used in storytelling as well as the Brand Persona with a Story Continuum that outlines different kinds of brand personas with a story. The Brand Persona Categorization Framework has been created that categorizes brand personas with a story. Conclusions: Brand personas with a story can be constructed in the same manner as characters within literature, and their categorization depends on how storytelling elements are used and combined when building the persona. The managerial implication is that the framework can be used by organizations when constructing a brand persona whilst building their brand. The theoretical contribution is the merge of two academic fields in order to broaden the knowledge within the area of brand persona building. Originality: The study pinpoints a gap in previous research and is foundational in its field as no prior study has integrated strategic brand management theory with literature theory in regards to how brand personas are created, making this study unique. Further, the phenomenon of brand personas with a story has been identified in this study – a phenomenon that has not previously been explored by scholars.