How To Use Customer Personas To Define Brand Identity

One of the most effective ways to define your brand is by mapping it to a specific person. Not just a vague demographic, but an actual persona—real or fictional—who embodies everything your company stands for. When I launched my activewear brand, Ellie, we created Amy, a 27-year-old woman from California who represented our ideal customer. Every marketing decision we made was filtered through the question: Would Amy be into this? Amy loved the outdoors, so our ads featured scenic landscapes. She wasn’t too serious, so our content was lighthearted and casual. She had big aspirations but also made time for fun. Getting specific with her persona made our messaging feel natural and authentic. And it worked. When defining Hawke Media’s persona, we landed on me because I am the customer we serve. Before launching Hawke, I built, scaled, and sold e-commerce brands. I know firsthand the pain points our clients face, from tight budgets to inefficient marketing strategies to the constant pressure to grow. That perspective shaped the way we built Hawke Media. We are not a buttoned-up, corporate agency. We take marketing seriously, but we also have fun, challenge norms, and embrace creativity. That personality attracts the right clients and the right talent because it reflects exactly who we are built to serve. Defining your brand’s persona, whether it is a fictional character, a celebrity, or even yourself, keeps your messaging sharp and consistent. It gives your company a voice, a personality, and a clear direction. Without it, your marketing risks being generic and forgettable.

Your customer avatar is probably wrong. It’s not your fault. The entire industry has been running the same lazy playbook for years... But there's a better way to truly understand your audience—I'll break it down for you step by step: First, it's important to note: most marketers confuse *data* with *insight*, and most brands only know their customer’s basic info. They'll run entire marketing campaigns based on minimal insights: • Male • 25-45 • Likes fitness But that’s not a profile. That’s just a demographic checkbox. To actually connect, you need to go deeper… I use a 5-point system to build customer avatars that actually work. The 5 pillars are: 1. Identity 2. Emotion 3. Generation 4. Seasonal purchasing behavior 5. Cultural movements Here’s how it works: 1. We start by researching Identity. Your audience isn’t just a group of people—they see themselves as someone specific. Are they: • Hustlers? • Achievers? • Rebels? Their core identity drives what they believe, which is why we start with the core and layer things on top. 2. Next we get insight on Emotion. Emotion drives buying decisions, not logic. Understanding which emotions fuel your audience is key: • Fear of missing out? • Desire for control? • Pride in their achievements? If you can nail the emotional hook, your offer becomes irresistible. 3. We then move on to Generation. Boomers, Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen X aren’t the same. Each grew up with different values, tech, and cultural experiences. Even subtle things like humor or world event references can make a huge difference. We add this to the mix along with: 4. Seasonal Purchasing Behavior Your audience doesn’t buy the same things year-round. Track when they’re most likely to spend and align your campaigns with their *natural habits*. E.g.: Fitness goals spike in January, outdoor gear in spring. Timing is everything. 5. Finally, we study Cultural Movements. What’s happening in the world that aligns with your audience? If we’re gonna tap into shared beliefs, trends, or societal shifts to make your brand feel relevant, we need to know how to go from “just a product” to a movement. When you understand these 5 layers, you stop guessing—and start connecting. You stop throwing spaghetti and start painting a masterpiece. TLDR; If your avatar is built on a static template from 6 years ago, you’re in trouble. Avatars are as fluid as the humans they’re built on. Knowing how to track the 5 most important those changes (and build a strong marketing strategy from them) is the key to real growth. 🔑

Struggling to Connect with Your Audience? Here’s Why Understanding Your Customer Avatar Is a Game-Changer. Many brands rely on flashy ads and catchy slogans, but these tactics often miss the mark. Without a deep understanding of your customer avatar, your marketing campaigns are likely to fall flat, failing to resonate with the people who matter most. Imagine you’re competing with another brand. Their ad just presents a product, while your messaging says “Perfect for Kids Ages 7-13.” Which one hits home? Customers want solutions to their specific problems, not generic products. If you’re not speaking directly to their needs, you’re losing sales and missing out on building trust and loyalty. Solution: The key to driving real results in your marketing strategy is understanding your customer avatar. Here’s how you can use this insight to create more effective campaigns: 1️⃣ Tailor Messaging to Solve Specific Problems Understanding your audience’s pain points allows you to craft messaging that speaks directly to their concerns. For example, if 60% of your audience values age-appropriate products and 40% cares about non-toxic materials, you can adjust your messaging to address these needs, making your product irresistible. 2️⃣ Test and Optimize for What Matters Not all customers prioritize the same features. Some care about compatibility, others about ease of cleaning. Testing different messages and images helps you pinpoint what resonates most. This continuous refinement ensures that your marketing is always aligned with customer preferences, boosting conversions. 3️⃣ Analyze Competitors to Identify Your Edge Rather than copying what works for competitors, dig into why those products succeed. Identify the unique selling propositions (USPs) that resonate with your audience, like product quality or specific features, and highlight them to set yourself apart from the competition. 4️⃣ Use Tools to Stay on Top Tools like DataDive offer valuable insights into competitor strategies, helping you adapt quickly. If your data shows customers prefer practical features while competitors focus on lifestyle images, adjust your marketing to match what your audience wants most. Final Thought: Understanding your customer avatar isn’t just a marketing tactic—it’s essential for building effective campaigns that drive results. By focusing on your audience’s unique needs, you can create targeted messaging that boosts conversions and builds lasting customer relationships. What’s your strategy for understanding and targeting your customer avatar?

Your buyer persona: “Meet Sarah. She’s 35. Drives a Honda. Drinks oat milk.” OK ... But that tells me nothing. I don’t care if she shops at Whole Foods. I want to know: 👉 what does she struggle with? 👉 what triggers her to buy? 👉 what words does she actually use? Most personas are packed with shallow info. Not what actually moves a customer to buy. You don’t need a cute name. Or a coffee order. You need insight. Here’s how to build a persona that actually helps you sell: 1. Do customer interviews 1. Talk to real people. 2. Ask open-ended questions. 3. Capture exact language. And during these interviews ... 2. Capture voice of customer (VOC) VOC are the words your customers use to describe: - their customer journey - your product VOC eliminates jargon. And ineffective messaging. It makes customers think, "They get me." 3. Map customer pain points 👉 What keeps them up at night? 👉 What problem are they trying to solve? 👉 Why have they failed to solve it? 👉 What else have they tried to solve it? 4. Identify search triggers 👉 Why did they start looking for a solution? 👉 What triggered their search? 👉 What makes their search urgent? 5. Document objections 👉 What gives them pause? 👉 What uncertainties do they have? 👉 Where have competitors failed them? 👉 What almost stopped them from buying? 👉 What makes them doubt your product? 6. Find "The Flip" What makes your customer flip from 🧐 “What is this?” ↓ 😍 “This is exactly what I need.” Build your messaging around this moment. ___ This is how you create a messaging guide. Not by guessing. Not with a cute persona worksheet. Knowing Sarah’s favorite podcast? Sorta helpful. Knowing what keeps her up at night? Insanely helpful. ____ ♻️ Repost this if you found it useful 🧐 Follow me (@lizwillits) for more posts 💌 Get VIP insights in my email newsletter