Should the CEO be the Main Face of the Brand?

On average, each of us reportedly sees up to 5,000 brands a day. This might seem impossible – yes, when we exclude sleeping hours, we see 294 brands on average per hour – but brands really are everywhere around us.

While driving to work, we see them literally “on every corner” and even more frequently; when we sit down to work, everything around us is also branded, starting from the computer, markers, snacks, business cards, breakfast from the bakery, water bottles, etc.

And only when we pick up our phones, besides the dozens of apps we already have installed, we see so many different brands on social media, not just in ads that are absolutely everywhere, but also from the people we follow, as well as in non-sponsored content.

However, although we are constantly exposed to advertising consciously, semi-consciously, and subconsciously, what we actually remember is a completely different question. Whether it’s 5,000 or 500 – how does your brand stand out?

Consumers love brands that use faces and real people in advertising

Many studies show that consumers trust brands much more when they can associate them with people by face, first name, and last name, and that even 76% of them are more likely to choose to buy from such brands.

Also:

• 64% of consumers want brands to connect with them

• 84% of consumers like to buy from brands they have an emotional connection with

• 95% of purchases come from emotional motives

That is why the key question in this text is raised – should the CEO be the main face of the brand – and is that a good brand strategy.

When we also consider the natural sociological need for the personalization of emotions and phenomena (positive and negative), it is clear why we are so interested in other people. But can brand marketing control the narrative and the direction in which these emotions will go?

Feeling marketing VS personality-based marketing

Feeling marketing or emotional marketing is the deliberate use of persuasive messages that target human emotions in order to create a deep connection with the audience for the sake of achieving a desired result.

Personality-based marketing focuses on consumers as individuals and tailors personalized experiences for them.

Businesses often use both approaches for lead generation as an integral part of their brand marketing strategy, but it is easy to notice which of these two strategies is their first choice.

A classic example of emotional marketing is Coca-Cola’s holiday commercials, while a good example of personality-based marketing is, for instance, personalized discounts through loyalty apps.

Why are we mentioning this now?

The two basic ways to reach people are:

• through strong emotions

• through personalization of experiences

And these are also the two basic approaches in building a brand – when we think of the world’s biggest brands, they are known for certain values/emotions they evoke (LEGO, Netflix) or they are known for their leaders (Tesla, Amazon).

The most valuable companies in the world have globally recognizable CEOs – why is that so?

Here we will first present the chicken and egg problem: are the greatest business leaders famous because they have the most valuable companies, or did their personality contribute to the global recognition of the brand and thus the value of the company?

The most accurate answer would probably be: both, with constant intertwining.

A global audience appreciates success, but it also has its ethical behavioral requirements, so there is often a thin line between idolizing a personality and harboring negative emotions toward them – and it’s the same with brands.

Today, one negative event is enough, even being undecided in critical situations is enough, for consumers to turn against a brand or its leader.

What is the conclusion then? Should your brand live its own story, regardless of who the CEO is, or should you increase its popularity by giving the brand a successful face?

Although the smartest approach is a combination of both, it is not that easy to achieve. For global public opinion to form any impression of a brand, it takes years (if not decades), while all of that can fall apart due to the actions of a dominant personality.

If the CEO is also the founder and the conceptual creator of the brand and its products/services, then he/she can definitely contribute to building brand awareness and help create a positive image of that company.

In the end, positioning in the eyes of the audience is always a double-edged sword and depends on many factors. Whichever approach you choose, you should not lose sight of the relationship with your consumers, because that relationship is what will, whatever happens, keep your company on its feet.

Give your consumers an unforgettable experience with 365 Lab brand activations!

We will leave the strategic part of brand marketing to your experienced team, while the 365 Lab team is here to bring your ideas to life and perhaps further inspire you on how to develop the relationship with your consumers!

For 12 years, we have been collaborating with the most famous brands in Serbia and the region, and we are an indispensable part of the largest sporting, musical, entertainment, and all other events – and we are the first address brands knock on when they need original interactive activations.

365 Lab offers a range of state-of-the-art devices, custom software and application development, as well as the creation of completely new and unique brand activations just for your business. Contact us so we can delight your consumers together with an unforgettable experience!