The Psychology of Characters
Why humans instinctively connect with characters, even when we know they're fictional. Humans naturally attribute human qualities to non-human things. We name cars, talk to computers, apologise to robots and recognise faces in clouds. Psychologists refer to this tendency as anthropomorphism. Brand characters make use of this natural human behaviour by giving organisations a recognisable personality that people can relate to. Rather than communicating through abstract logos or corporate language alone, organisations communicate through a consistent individual whose behaviour, personality and values people gradually come to understand. The result isn't simply greater recognition. It's a stronger human connection.
- Humans instinctively attribute human qualities to non-human things.
- Characters create emotional shortcuts that abstract branding cannot.
- Consistent personalities build familiarity and trust.
- Human-like brands are often easier to relate to and remember.
- Psychology explains why characters work. Strategy determines whether they create value.
We naturally humanise the world around us
People regularly treat non-human objects as though they have intentions, personalities or emotions.
We shout at printers.
Thank voice assistants.
Name our cars.
Describe products as friendly, reliable or frustrating.
This behaviour isn't unusual.
It's a normal part of human cognition.
Psychologists describe this as anthropomorphism.
It allows us to understand unfamiliar things by relating them to something we know well.
Ourselves.
Recent reviews of marketing research show that anthropomorphism has become one of the most important areas of consumer behaviour research because it helps explain how people form relationships with brands.[1]Anthropomorphism and Consumer Behaviour: A Hybrid ReviewInternational Journal of Consumer Studies · 2024Hybrid review synthesising how anthropomorphism shapes consumer behaviour and brand relationships.
Characters make organisations feel more human
Organisations are complex.
They don't have faces.
Voices.
Expressions.
Body language.
Characters provide those qualities.
Instead of communicating with an abstract organisation, people interact with a consistent individual that represents it.
That doesn't mean people believe the character is real.
It means communication becomes easier to interpret because it follows familiar social patterns.
Personality creates predictability
One reason people trust other people is predictability.
We gradually learn what someone is like.
Reliable.
Curious.
Optimistic.
Calm.
The same principle applies to characters.
When a character behaves consistently over time, audiences begin to understand what to expect.
That predictability helps build familiarity.
Familiarity supports trust.
We build relationships through repeated interaction
People don't trust someone after a single conversation.
Trust develops gradually.
The same is true of characters.
Every interaction contributes a little more familiarity.
Another conversation.
Another explanation.
Another story.
Over time, the character stops feeling new.
It becomes expected.
That consistency allows organisations to build long-term relationships rather than isolated campaigns.
What this means for organisations
Most organisations communicate through facts.
Policies.
Products.
Processes.
Services.
Characters add something different.
They provide a recognisable personality that helps people understand those messages more naturally.
That doesn't replace good communication.
It makes good communication easier to recognise, easier to trust and easier to remember.
Frequently asked questions
Research References
- [1]Khan F. et al. (2024). Anthropomorphism and Consumer Behaviour: A Hybrid Review. International Journal of Consumer Studies.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijcs.12985 - [2]Knödler L. & Rudeloff C. (2024). The Effects of AI-generated Synthetic Brand Voices on Brand Anthropomorphism and Brand Equity.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09732586241253651
Thinking about creating a brand character?
Characters aren't effective because they're cartoons. They're effective because they work with the way people naturally recognise, remember and relate to other people. The strongest characters don't fight human psychology. They make use of it.
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