Move Beyond Brand Identity, learn from the movies and create Brand Character

EXT. PERU - HIGH JUNGLE - DAY

A narrow trail across the green face of the canyon. A group of men make their way along it. At the head of the party is an American, INDIANA JONES. He wears a short leather jacket, a flapped holster, and a brimmed felt hat with a weird feather stuck in the in the band.

The opening scene of Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark introduces Indiana Jones for the first time. With just a few words, the filmmakers establish Indy’s essence: a quirky explorer who doesn’t take himself too seriously. Unlike other movie heroes of the time (think James Bond or Superman) he defied expectations, yet became one of the most successful characters in film history. This success comes from Indiana Jones being more than just a character—he’s a brand. His lasting appeal highlights how identity, more than any other aspect, determines a brand’s success.

A brand works like a movie character. Every trait serves one clear purpose: to tell a story.

Many branding and marketing experts suggest thinking of brand identity the way we think of a person’s: a combination of name, origins, personality, beliefs, and appearance. But real people are full of contradictions—they might be passionate about something but too lazy to pursue it, or confident yet uninformed. A brand, however, works more like a movie character. Every trait serves one clear purpose: to tell a story. Just hearing names like Harry Potter or James Bond brings back vivid memories, as if we’ve known them for years. If films can create that deep connection with fictional characters, companies can do the same with their brands.

Brand identity is often treated as just another step before designing a logo or selecting a color palette, as if it’s merely a means to an end. Think of Ikea’s blue and yellow logo or Coca-Cola’s signature red. These visual elements are a bit like Indy’s fedora and leather jacket: they symbolize who he is, but they don’t really define him. No matter how much we try, wearing a leather jacket and fedora won’t turn us into Indiana Jones, and choosing the perfect shade of yellow won’t guarantee an Ikea-level success. So how do we move beyond the props and makeup to uncover the true character of a brand?

Ikea Logan store by Kgbo

If you had to describe Harry Potter in one word, what would it be? Words such as nerdy, magical, unassuming, and smart likely come to mind. In movies, these are known as character traits—defining qualities that shape a character’s personality, behavior, and actions. Screenwriters don’t choose traits randomly, they select them to connect directly to a character’s struggles. The cowardly Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz must find courage, and Harry Potter relies on his intellect to overcome challenges. Traits can be obstacles (like the Scarecrow’s fear) or advantages (such as Harry’s iconic glasses symbolizing his intelligence). Choosing these traits starts by understanding a character’s purpose, strengths, weaknesses, and the conflicts they must resolve. This screenwriting technique, known as character development, offers valuable insights for businesses. Let’s call it Brand Character.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Brand Character

The purpose of a business is to solve problems, just as a character’s purpose is to overcome conflict. Take Duolingo, for example. Learning a language is difficult and often boring, causing many people to give up. Duolingo transforms the process into a game, making learning a language feel fun and addictive. If Duolingo were a character, it would embody traits like playfulness—someone you’d want to spend hours with just for fun.

The Duolingo owl

Some brands face more complex challenges, like Airbnb, which must address two problems: hosts leaving their homes empty and missing an opportunity to earn money, and guests needing a better alternative to expensive, impersonal hotels. If Airbnb were a character, its traits would need to connect with both of these challenges, embodying trustworthiness, accessibility, and good taste (without feeling too expensive). These traits can then serve as a foundation for guiding design choices.

When creating a brand, many people start by analyzing the competition (looking at their logos, website designs, and overall aesthetic). But even if a competitor is solving the same problem, your brand will do it differently simply because it reflects you and the way you approach this problem. That’s how brand identity got its name. Copying a competitor’s color scheme or design philosophy is like wearing Indy’s fedora—it might fool some people at first, but it won’t build a unique and lasting brand. So rather than focusing on the competition to create an identity, let’s explore Brand Character instead:

  1. Define the Problem Your Business Solves‍
    Identify the core issue your business was created to address. Your mission or vision statement can serve as a guide.
    Examples:‍
    • Uber: Taxis are expensive and hard to find.
    • Shopify: Setting up an online store is complex and costly.
    • Peloton: People struggle to stay motivated with home workouts.
  2. Imagine a Movie Character Who Could Solve This Problem
    Consider a fictional character who would excel at overcoming your brand’s challenge. If you’re unsure, look it up (try Googling or even asking ChatGPT: [Your problem]. What movie character would be best at solving this, and why?) Then, create a list of character traits relevant to solving the problem and choose the top three.
    ‍
    Example (Shopify’s Problem): At first, “Setting up an online store is complex and expensive” might seem too abstract for this approach. But when we asked ChatGPT, we got responses like: Tony Stark (Iron Man), Q (James Bond series), Miranda Priestly (The Devil Wears Prada), and Peter Parker (Spider-Man).
    While these characters seem very different, they share key traits that could define Shopify’s brand identity:
    • Ingenuity
    • Playfulness
    • Speed
  3. Transform Brand Character into Your Brand Identity:‍
    • Brand Story: Explain how these traits help solve your problem.
    • Brand Name: Choose a name that reflects these traits.
    • Design & Visuals: Use your brand character (and the fictional characters that inspired it) to shape your logo, color palette, and overall aesthetic when working with designers.
    • Communication Style: How would this character speak? Watch or listen to the movie characters that inspired your brand to develop a fitting tone and voice for your messaging.