Companies invest millions of dollars every year trying to make deep and lasting connections with their customers. TVCs and other above the line spend to grab the attention of their target audience and beyond, to entertain and thrill, direct mail to remind their customers of their product features and benefits, loyalty programs to make their customers feel cared for and special. All with the end goal of developing a meaningful relationship with their customers.

But one way many companies forget to make their brands endearing and attractive to customers, is by missing opportunities to develop a distinct and attractive personality.

We warm to humans, to great communicators, brave and principled individuals, more than we warm to a brand, but the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Brands can and should learn to identify the charismatic stewards of their company personality and make those great individuals stars of their brand personality.

Talk about personality, Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr had it in spades. A born marketer and self-promoter, Clay, now Muhammad Ali, probably did more to rehabilitiate the view of professional boxing int he collective world conscious than any marketing spedn by the regulatory bodies affiliated with boxing.

He was a one-man, walking PR machine, and above all, he was a tremendously charismatic personality.

Does your brand have a personality? Perhaps there is a mini Muhammad Ali somewhere in your company, just waiting to make your PR, promotions and advertising spend more effective by becoming more personal and charismatic.

Its about time you went and spoke to HR I think…