Personality Not Included

Personality Not Included Plot Summary

Introduction

In today's crowded marketplace, the difference between brands that merely exist and those that thrive often comes down to one critical factor: personality. When consumers face endless choices, they gravitate toward brands that feel authentic, relatable, and human. The challenge for businesses isn't simply to deliver quality products or services—it's to create meaningful connections that resonate on a deeper level. Think about the brands you genuinely love. What makes them special? Chances are, it's not just what they sell, but how they make you feel. These brands speak with a distinctive voice, share compelling stories, and create memorable experiences that keep you coming back. They've mastered the art of authentic connection through personality—and this is precisely what we'll explore throughout the following chapters, providing you with practical strategies to inject genuine character into your brand and transform casual customers into passionate advocates.

Chapter 1: Embrace Your Unique Voice

Finding your authentic voice is the foundation of building a brand personality that resonates with customers. Your voice isn't just what you say, but how you say it—the distinctive tone, language, and style that makes your communications immediately recognizable as uniquely yours. This voice should flow naturally from your company's values, mission, and the people behind your organization. Consider the transformation of Microsoft, once perceived as a faceless corporation bent on world domination. For years, Microsoft struggled with a negative reputation, endless legal battles, and declining employee morale. Their competitor Google even built their early identity around being the anti-Microsoft with their famous guiding principle: "Don't be evil." Yet over time, something remarkable happened—Microsoft's image softened. This change wasn't the result of a corporate memo instructing employees to be less evil, but rather through the emergence of authentic voices from within the company. As described in the book "Naked Conversations," bloggers like Joshua Allen and Robert Scoble became the first "accidental spokespeople" for Microsoft—not trained by PR teams, but communicating directly with customers in honest ways that humanized the brand. However, the most transformative symbol came when illustrator Hugh MacLeod created a drawing called "The Blue Monster" that featured a caricature issuing a challenge to Microsoft employees: "Change the world or go home." This simple drawing went viral within Microsoft, appearing on cubicle walls globally and sparking conversations about the company's purpose. The Blue Monster project worked on multiple levels—as Microsoft telling employees to change the world, as employees telling colleagues the same, and as outsiders challenging Microsoft to live up to its potential. As MacLeod noted, "The Blue Monster is like a blog. It allows Microsoftees to express their humanity without going through committees." The drawing became an accidental spokesperson that helped employees reconnect with their passion and purpose. To develop your authentic voice, start by identifying what makes your organization special—its history, values, and the people who bring it to life. Listen to how your team naturally speaks about your products or services when they're passionate and engaged. Document the language patterns, stories, and expressions that emerge organically. Then, create communication guidelines that capture this authentic voice while remaining consistent across all touchpoints. Remember that an authentic voice isn't manufactured—it's discovered. The goal isn't to sound like everyone else in your industry, but to speak in a way that's true to who you are and what you believe. When you communicate authentically, you create space for genuine connection with customers who share your values.

Chapter 2: Find Your Accidental Spokespersons

Accidental spokespersons are the unexpected voices that naturally emerge to represent your brand—they're not appointed or trained by your marketing department, but they speak with an authenticity that resonates powerfully with audiences. These individuals might be passionate employees, loyal customers, or even third-party enthusiasts who advocate for your brand simply because they believe in it. The story of Armand Frasco and Moleskine notebooks illustrates this phenomenon perfectly. In 2004, Frasco, a passionate Moleskine customer, started a blog called Moleskinerie dedicated to all the creative ways people used these iconic notebooks. His enthusiasm was genuine—he wasn't paid or asked to create content, but did so out of pure passion for the product. Within two years, his blog had become so influential that when distribution rights for Moleskine in the United States were being negotiated between companies, Frasco was consulted for his opinion. Recognizing the power of this authentic voice, Moleskine eventually extended an offer to Frasco to become an official part of their team, funding his blog while allowing him to maintain his authentic perspective. As Frasco explained, "When you tell people who you are and what you believe in, they accept you. I never expected to become a voice for the brand, but blogs like this should end up integrated with the company. Because people know there is a real person behind it, they trust my voice." Interestingly, after associating officially with Moleskine, Frasco started a second blog about notebooks beyond just Moleskines. This actually enhanced his credibility further, as it demonstrated his genuine expertise and passion for the entire category. His underlying message became clear: people who truly understand notebooks choose Moleskine. To identify and empower your accidental spokespersons, start by actively listening. Monitor conversations about your brand online through social media, blogs, and review sites. Look for individuals who consistently advocate for your products or services with genuine enthusiasm. When you find these voices, acknowledge them and express gratitude for their support. Next, consider how to support these natural advocates without compromising their authenticity. This might mean providing them with early access to new products, inviting them to special events, or simply recognizing their contributions publicly. The key is to nurture these relationships without trying to control the message—their value lies precisely in their independence and authentic passion. Remember that accidental spokespersons can include your own employees as well. When Boeing executive Randy Baseler started blogging through "Randy's Journal," his authentic voice discussing aviation trends and Boeing's ongoing competition with Airbus became one of the most respected corporate blogs in the world. When he retired, Boeing wisely maintained the blog's name as another Randy (Tinseth) took over, preserving the authentic personality that had made the blog so successful.

Chapter 3: Craft a Compelling Backstory

Your backstory is the history behind your organization—how it came to be, the challenges overcome, and the vision that drove its creation. Unlike a sterile corporate timeline, a compelling backstory features real characters with genuine motivations who evolved and persevered to make the business successful. This narrative forms the foundation that gives customers a reason to believe in your brand beyond just the products or services you offer. Consider how Dole transformed the humble banana—typically a commodity product with little emotional connection—into something with meaning and personality. Rather than relying on a fictional character like Chiquita's Miss Chiquita, Dole's Certified Organic Banana Program connected consumers directly to the farms where their bananas were grown. Each banana produced under this program featured a three-digit "farm code" printed on it, allowing anyone to go online and learn about the specific farm that grew their fruit. In June 2007, Dole published a touching exchange on their program blog. A customer named Amanda Shepard had written: "Thank you for what you are doing. Thank you for giving consumers the opportunity to provide aid and hope with our choices. Thank you also for this site that allows us to get a glimpse of the lives of those growing the bananas and the beautiful land on which the bananas are grown. I will think of the people and the beautiful landscape at Don Pedro Farm every time I eat a Dole organic banana." The farm's representative, Luis Monge, responded by sharing how he had read Amanda's message to all the employees at Don Pedro Farm in Colombia, writing that it was "reason enough to consider today as their better day at work ever." The blog post included photos and personal notes of thanks from more than a dozen workers at the farm. This powerful exchange humanized the product and gave consumers an emotional reason to choose Dole bananas, knowing they were supporting real people in Colombia. To craft your own compelling backstory, identify which of five common story models best fits your organization: the Passionate Enthusiast (driven by personal passion), the Inspired Inventor (creating something new through perseverance), the Smart Listener (responding to customer needs), the Likeable Hero (overcoming obstacles to make a difference), or the Little Guy vs. Big Guy (challenging established competitors). Once you've identified your primary story model, develop your narrative using the "BArc" (Backstory Arc) structure: introduce the Characters (the people behind your organization), establish the Challenge (the problem they sought to solve), explain their Vision (their unique approach), acknowledge the Conflict (obstacles they faced), and celebrate the Triumph (how they prevailed despite difficulties). Remember, your backstory should be authentic and defensible—don't manufacture drama or embellish achievements. The most compelling backstories are often simple truths told well. Share your story across multiple touchpoints—your website, packaging, advertising, and customer interactions—to create a coherent narrative that reinforces your brand's personality and gives customers a deeper reason to connect.

Chapter 4: Identify Your Authentic Moments

Authentic moments are the opportunities within your customer interactions where you can genuinely demonstrate your brand's personality. These moments occur throughout the customer journey—from initial awareness through purchase and beyond—and represent pivotal chances to build loyalty and stand apart from competitors. The key is learning to spot these moments and use them effectively. Sister Hazel, a southern rock band with a unique acoustic style, masterfully cultivates these authentic moments in their relationship with fans (whom they affectionately call "Hazelnuts"). Beyond creating great music, the band focuses intensely on connecting with their audience in meaningful ways. Early in their career, they would give away two cassettes for every one sold and created a "Hazel Virgins" program allowing fans to bring first-time listeners to shows for free. In 2002, responding to fan requests for more intimate performances, Sister Hazel founded the Rock Boat—now the largest floating music festival in the world, attracting hundreds of fans and up to 30 bands performing over a four- to five-day cruise annually. But perhaps their most powerful authentic moment was much simpler: when fans were lined up in the cold waiting to get into venues, band members would come outside, order pizza for everyone, and play a few acoustic songs while they waited. This simple gesture—sharing food and music with cold, waiting fans—became the story that fans repeatedly told others about the band. It demonstrated Sister Hazel's genuine appreciation for their audience in a way that felt spontaneous and sincere. The band recognized that these waiting periods represented an authentic moment—a time when they had their fans' attention and could use it to strengthen their connection. ING Direct similarly identified authentic moments in banking—an industry not typically associated with personality. CEO Arkadi Kuhlmann described his company's approach: "Banking feels like going to the dentist. Life doesn't have to be that complicated. We're not a bank the way you usually think of a bank." ING transformed every customer interaction into an authentic moment—from free public transit days in major cities to their ING Cafés designed to look nothing like traditional bank branches. To identify your authentic moments, map out your entire customer journey from initial awareness through research, purchase, usage, and sharing. Look for points where customers are already giving you their attention but you may not be maximizing the opportunity. These often include waiting periods, unboxing experiences, service interactions, or moments of delight or disappointment. Once you've identified these moments, develop specific strategies for injecting your brand's personality into each. Remember that authentic moments should feel natural, not forced or scripted. They should reflect your brand's values and connect emotionally with customers in ways that inspire them to share their experience with others.

Chapter 5: Create Talkable Experiences

Creating talkable experiences means designing interactions with your brand that customers naturally want to share with others. These experiences transform customers into storytellers who spread your message more effectively than traditional advertising ever could. The key is crafting moments that are unique, authentic, and worthy of conversation. Timbuk2, a company that produces durable messenger bags from a warehouse in San Francisco, has built its brand around talkable experiences. The company emerged around the same time that urban bike messenger culture was gaining popularity through media like MTV's "The Real World," which featured a San Francisco bike messenger named "Puck." Timbuk2's distinctive three-panel design and swirl logo quickly became fashion icons beyond the subculture of bike messengers. What makes Timbuk2 truly talkable is how they've infused personality into every aspect of the customer experience. Their website describes the brand in memorable terms: "Timbuk2 is more than a bag. It's more than a brand. Timbuk2 is a bond. To its owner, a Timbuk2 bag is a dependable, everyday companion. We see fierce, emotional attachments form between Timbuk2 customers and their bags all the time." The company leverages this emotional connection by offering "People Powered Customer Service" on their website, where customers can answer each other's questions or interact directly with Timbuk2 staff during purchases. They openly share that while they hand-stitch bags in San Francisco, they moved production of more complex laptop bags offshore. Everything about the experience is designed to bring customers into the personality of the brand and create moments worth talking about. Innocent Drinks, a UK-based smoothie maker, creates similarly talkable experiences through unexpected touches. During winter months, their bottles appear in stores wearing tiny hand-knitted woolen hats. Each hat is knitted by volunteers, and purchasing a bottle with a hat triggers a donation to Age Concern, a charity helping older people stay warm during winter. This initiative, called "The Big Knit," generated over 230,000 hats in 2006 and surpassed 400,000 in 2007. Even their product disclaimers become talkable moments. While explaining that their natural smoothies might ferment if left unrefrigerated, they write: "We wouldn't advise opening the bottle in your car, at your desk or in your best cashmere sweater, as it may misbehave and squirt smoothie all over you." This conversational tone extends to their FAQ page, where the response to "I have a question and need a human being to answer it" is to contact Charlotte from their team, with her full contact details provided. To create your own talkable experiences, identify what makes your brand genuinely different. Focus on turning ordinary interactions into memorable moments by adding unexpected elements of delight, humor, or personality. Consider the physical touchpoints of your brand—packaging, retail environments, digital interfaces—and how each can be transformed into something worth sharing. Remember that the most talkable experiences often come from genuine moments of human connection rather than calculated marketing stunts. Authenticity is what makes these experiences resonate and inspire customers to become advocates for your brand.

Chapter 6: Overcome Internal Resistance

Implementing a personality-driven approach to marketing often faces internal resistance within organizations. Fear is the underlying emotion behind most barriers to personality and typically manifests through four key concerns: success ("what we're doing is already working"), uncertainty ("we don't know what will happen"), tradition ("we've always done it this way"), and precedent ("no one else is doing it that way"). The transformation of Dell's customer service approach provides a powerful example of overcoming these barriers. In 2005, blogger Jeff Jarvis triggered what became known as "Dell Hell" when his complaints about poor customer service went viral online. Initially, Dell refused to engage with these criticisms, maintaining their traditional approach to customer communication. However, as negative sentiment continued to build, the company faced a critical decision point. Rather than continuing to hide behind corporate policies, Dell took the brave step of embracing a more authentic approach. They began actively listening to bloggers, launched their own blog called Direct2Dell where lead blogger Lionel Menchaca openly responded to customer frustrations, and brought back founder Michael Dell to lead the company. In February 2007, Dell launched IdeaStorm, a site dedicated to online collaboration with customers that led to ideas for real products. The results were remarkable. By October 2007, BusinessWeek published an article titled "Dell Learns to Listen," concluding that Dell had gone from "worst to first" in customer engagement. Most tellingly, this article was written by Jeff Jarvis himself—the very blogger who had started "Dell Hell." The key to Dell's success wasn't just that they started blogging; it was that they engaged consistently in dialogue with customers. When Dell employees commented on blogs today, they don't fear negative responses because they understand their goal is to start conversations, not control them. To overcome resistance in your own organization, start by establishing your authority through respect rather than position. Value others' opinions, speak second (after listening carefully), offer thoughtful perspectives, avoid condescension, and share credit generously. With this foundation of respect, you can begin addressing specific barriers. For the success barrier, highlight missed opportunities and demonstrate that current success doesn't guarantee future results. For the uncertainty barrier, reframe the conversation from focusing on the risks of action to the risks of inaction. For the tradition barrier, don't fight it directly—instead, find ways to add to tradition rather than replace it. For the precedent barrier, identify "halfway precedents" that can serve as points of reference while still allowing for innovation. When presenting new ideas, follow a four-step approach: paint a background of action (showing what's already happening), establish an imperative to act now, provide a bite-sized way to start, and share credit widely. This method helps partners, peers, and even customers understand and support injecting more personality into your communications. Remember that personality is not about abandoning professionalism or strategic thinking—it's about finding authentic ways to connect with customers that reflect your organization's true character. By addressing fears directly and demonstrating the business value of authentic connection, you can help your organization embrace the power of personality.

Summary

Throughout this journey, we've explored how personality transforms ordinary brands into beloved icons that customers genuinely connect with. The most powerful insight is that personality isn't something you manufacture—it's something you uncover and express authentically. As Richard Reed from Innocent Drinks put it: "Our drinks are totally natural and as a business, we pride ourselves on always being ourselves—open, honest and natural. Our brand voice is a direct reflection of the way we speak and who we are." Your immediate next step is to identify one authentic moment in your customer journey where you can inject more personality. It might be as simple as rewriting an automated email in a more conversational tone, recognizing a passionate customer publicly, or sharing a genuine story about your team's work. Start small, measure the response, and build from there. Remember that personality isn't just nice to have—it's the essential ingredient that transforms transactions into relationships and customers into advocates who champion your brand because they truly believe in what you stand for.

About Author

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Guy Kawasaki

I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1954. My family lived in a tough part of Honolulu called Kalihi Valley. We weren’t rich, but I never felt poor-because my mother and father made many sacrifices for my sister and me. My mother was a housewife, and my father was a fireman, real estate broker, state senator, and government official during his long, distinguished career.I attended Iolani School where I graduated in 1972. Iolani is not as well known as its rival, Punahou because no presidents of the U. S. went there, but I got a fantastic and formative education there. (Punahou is “USC,” and Iolani is “Stanford”—but I digress.) I pay special tribute to Harold Keables, my AP English teacher.He taught me that the key to writing is editing. No one in the universe would be more shocked that I have written ten books (or one book ten times) than Harold Keables.After Iolani, I matriculated to Stanford; I graduated in 1976 with a major in psychology—which was the easiest major I could find. I loved Stanford. I sometimes wish I could go back in time to my undergraduate days “on the farm.”After Stanford, I attended the law school at U.C. Davis because, like all Asian-American parents, my folks wanted me to be a “doctor, lawyer, or dentist.” I only lasted one week because I couldn’t deal with the law school teachers telling me that I was crap and that they were going to remake me.The following year I entered the MBA program at UCLA. I liked this curriculum much better. While there, I worked for a fine-jewelry manufacturer called Nova Stylings; hence, my first real job was literally counting diamonds. From Nova, its CEO Marty Gruber, and my Jewish colleagues in the jewelry business, I learned how to sell, and this skill was vital to my entire career.I remained at Nova for a few years until the the Apple II removed the scales from my eyes. Then I went to work for an educational software company called EduWare Services. However, Peachtree Software acquired the company and wanted me to move to Atlanta. “I don’t think so.” I can’t live in a city where people call sushi “bait.”Luckily, my Stanford roommate, Mike Boich, got me a job at Apple; for giving me my chance at Apple, I owe Mike a great debt. When I saw what a Macintosh could do, the clouds parted and the angels started singing. For four years I evangelized Macintosh to software and hardware developers and led the charge against world-wide domination by IBM. I also met my wife Beth at Apple during this timeframe—Apple has been very good to me.Around 1987, my job at Apple was done. Macintosh had plenty of software by then, so I left to start a Macintosh database company called ACIUS. It published a product called 4th Dimension. To this day, 4th Dimension remains a great database.I ran ACIUS for two years and then left to pursue my bliss of writing, speaking, and consulting. I’ve written for Macuser, Macworld, and Forbes. I call these the “Wonder Years” as in “I wonder how I came to deserve such a good life.”In 1989, I started another software company called Fog City Software with three of the best co-founders in the world: Will Mayall, Kathryn Henkens, and Jud Spencer. We created an email product called Emailer which we sold to Claris and then a list server product called LetterRip.In 1995 I returned to Apple as an Apple fellow. At the time, according to the pundits, Apple was supposed to die. (Apple should have died about ten times in the past twenty years according to the pundits.) My job on this tour of duty was to maintain and rejuvenate the Macintosh cult.A couple years later, I left Apple to start an angel investor matchmaking service called Garage.com with Craig Johnson of Venture Law Group and Rich Karlgaard of Forbes. Version 2.0 of Garage.com was an investment bank for helping entrepreneurs raise money from venture capitalists. Today, version 3.0 of Garage.com is called Garage Technology Ven

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