Why You Should Be the Face of Your Brand
Thursday 25th July
by Beth Perrin
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When it comes to marketing, a lot has changed over the years - especially how brands interact with consumers. Previously, it was enough for companies to use very basic and direct messaging, simply saying “This is our product, and this is what it does.” But nowadays, people are seeking more personal connections with companies, and are much more likely to buy from people instead of faceless corporations. That’s why it’s a good idea for someone to be the face of your brand, whether that’s you, your company founder, or another key member of your team.
By being the face of your brand, you can humanise it and therefore make it more relatable and approachable. Sharing your own personality and unique story will help you create an emotional relationship with your audience that can lead to stronger brand loyalty and advocacy.
According to Louis Rynsard, Account Director at communications and reputation management firm SBC London: “Whether [you’re] a start-up or an established company, people don’t just buy your products and services, they buy you and your core values. Firms benefit from having an identifiable leader who can espouse the ‘why’ of their business and speak not just to what the company does, but what drives it. Nothing builds long-lasting and impactful reputations more than a firm’s leaders.”
You Know Your Brand Best
It goes without saying that you and your internal team members know your business on a deeper level than any external figures. You can tell your brand story accurately and in full detail, and can offer a truly down-to-earth perspective on your products, services and processes. 68% of consumers say that brand stories influence their purchasing decisions, particularly when they’re told by an individual they can relate to. In fact, according to a study conducted at the University of Liverpool, personal stories make up roughly 65% of all human conversations, which is why it’s essential to share your brand’s narrative from a personal perspective, rather than one that feels generic or detached.
Build Trust
When people see a real person behind a brand, they’re more likely to trust that brand. By being the face of your business, you can build a closer, more comfortable and more personal connection with your audience, which can lead to greater trust and reliability. This is especially significant when considering that 81% of people hold trust as a very important factor in deciding whether or not to use a brand, and that 95% of them are likely (or very likely) to remain a customer of a business they trust.
Demonstrate Expertise
Appearing in content for your brand also means you can demonstrate your expertise and knowledge about your industry or product(s). This can help establish you as a leader within your field, resulting in greater credibility, influence and consumer confidence.
Let’s say your product needs to be used in a specific way to achieve its best results, or contains ingredients or materials that need to be carefully explained. You’re the best person to relay this information to your audience, as you can outline the necessary details accurately and with conviction, allowing customers to know exactly what they’re buying and to learn how your product or service meets their needs.
Differentiate Your Brand From its Competitors
Additionally, being the face of your brand enables you to differentiate yourself from your competitors. A faceless brand is just like any other, whereas a brand with a key figure at its forefront has a much more unique identity, a stronger personality, and will therefore stand out in a crowded market. 46% of customers say they can’t tell the difference between most brand experiences, so having a distinctive USP that sets your business apart from others in the same industry is key - especially when that USP is a memorable and influential person that customers automatically associate with your brand.
Increase Engagement
Videos and images that feature a real person tend to achieve more engagement on social media than those that include stock photos or no people at all. Specifically, they’re 38% more likely to receive likes and 32% more likely to receive comments. This is because when people see a face and hear a voice, they’re more willing to pay attention and remember the message they’re being shown.
Engagement rates can be even higher if the face of your brand is someone who has already built up their own social media following on their personal accounts (as you’ll see in the case studies below). Because their followers already know, like and trust that individual and enjoy their content, they’re much more likely to engage with the content that person shares on their brand pages too.
Case Studies: Refy & Odd Muse
Let’s take a look at two businesses that have done a great job of combining an individual’s personal brand with their company identity, starting with clean beauty brand Refy (a combination of ‘redefine’ and ‘simplify’), founded by model and influencer Jess Hunt in 2020. Jess features in many of the brand’s images and videos on both Instagram and TikTok, sometimes simply modelling the products and sometimes explaining their ingredients, benefits and application methods. The brand’s visual identity mirrors her own personal style, which is marked by minimalism, sophistication and clean imagery.
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Speaking to Emirates Woman, she said: “I am drawn to the creative side [of marketing] because of my background in social media and I work most closely with the creative team on campaigns and launches, and bringing the creative vision to life.” When asked about the brand-building process, she responded: “I’ve learnt that it’s vital to be true to your brand and not waiver, as this is what resonates with the customer. I’d say to anyone wanting to launch their own brand that they should stick to their vision and trust their instincts.”
@refybeauty Everything you need to know about Skin Trio with our founder @Jess Hunt #skincare #makeup #spf #summer #refysummer #summermakeup #jesshunt ♬ original sound - REFY
According to TikTok for Business, one of Refy’s conversion campaigns reached over 2 million users, achieved an engagement rate of 2%, and gave the brand an uplift in organic performance due to a 101% increase of overall profile traffic. This led to a 750% increase in organic revenue, with the brand realising that native TikTok-style videos that incorporate trends and feature relatable figures like Jess tend to perform better than curated campaign videos which can feel more detached.
Next, Odd Muse, a London based luxury womenswear brand founded by Aimee Smale, who made it onto Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for her commitment to “steering consumers away from fast fashion brands and toward quality basics”. Like Jess Hunt, Aimee appears in many of Odd Muse’s Instagram and TikTok posts, modelling the brand’s dresses and showcasing the glamorous lifestyle associated with them, with many of the images being shot in beautiful and desirable locations. She also uses her personal Instagram account to share additional photos of herself wearing the items, information about their materials, sizing and colourways, plus behind-the-scenes shots and announcements about upcoming launches.
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Further confirming the direct impact Jess and her team have on the brand and its marketing style, Odd Muse says on its website that it “has grown from one to tens of the most passionate individuals with a desire to push creative boundaries”, and that “the brand legacy flourishes with each team member keen to leave a mark on the luxury fashion industry.”
Summary
It can be tempting to simply hide behind your brand name and let your products do the talking, but stepping out in front of your audience and confidently representing your business makes a bolder statement. Consumers will trust and respect you for being the face of your brand, and having someone to learn from and relate to will ultimately give them the reassurance they need to choose your brand over one that offers no personal connection. Influencer partnerships and endorsements from external advocates can of course be powerful and highly beneficial for your business, but don’t forget - you’re the one who knows it best, and are therefore the most qualified person to promote, market and celebrate it, both online and offline.
