The personality of visual elements: a framework for the development of visual identity based on brand personality dimensions.

In order to be successful in today’s competitive environment, brands must have well-established identities. Therefore, during the branding process it is necessary to attribute personality traits and visual elements that best represent the desired identity of the brand. With the recent advances in communication, scholars have analyzed how different visual elements (e.g., logo, typography, color) can visually represent the desired brand personality. However, these elements are typically analyzed separately, since few studies show the association of personality traits with the set of visual elements of the brand (the well-known “visual identity”). Therefore, this work aims to develop a methodological framework that allows the design of visual identity based on the Dimensions of Brand Personality, by assigning a set of visual elements (colors, typographies, and shapes) to each dimension (Sincerity, Excitement, Competence, Sophistication and Ruggedness) suggested by Aaker in 1997. Through a quanti-quali approach, the associations suggested in the proposed framework were duly tested through the application of a questionnaire to a sample of consumers, to gather information about their perceptions. Preliminary results suggest that the proposed framework can successfully generate the desired brand personality perception in consumers, according to the design elements used for the creation of the visual brand identity.