What Most Brands Get Wrong about Personas
Let me tell you about my good friend Erica. We’re nearly identical in many ways—we both grew up in Colorado, went to the same college, moved to San Diego at the same time, and even have kids around the same age.
But if a brand marketed to us the same way, it would completely miss the mark.
Erica thrives on stability: same job for years, same vacation spot every summer, same trusted doctor. I’m the opposite—spontaneous road trips, holistic healers, always chasing new experiences. The messaging that excites me—freedom, risk, adventure—completely turns off Erica. She values safety and tradition above all else.
This is where many brands get personas wrong: They focus too much on who their customers are and not enough on what drives them.
Today’s consumers aren’t just buying products—they’re buying identity. Brands that understand this attract lifelong advocates. Those that don’t? They get canceled.
3 Persona Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make:
1) Relying on Demographics Alone: People are defined by shared values, not just age or income.
Marketers love to label. Millennials are broke but love avocado toast. Gen Z is all-in on activism. Boomers are clinging to tradition. The truth? Every generation is more complicated than a stereotype—and values often matter more than age.
2) Trying to Please Everyone: Standing for everything means standing for nothing.
In a polarized world, people wear their values on their sleeves. From ethical shopping to political alignment, customers now use brands to signal who they are—and, just as importantly, who they’re not. Brands that ignore this risk becoming irrelevant or alienating their audience.
3) Ignoring Real-Time Shifts: Culture moves fast. Personas should, too.
With culture shifting faster than ever (thanks, TikTok!), personas must evolve in real-time. A brand aligned with social justice today might face backlash tomorrow for being performative. Monitoring values and adjusting personas is critical to staying relevant.
Today, it’s not enough to make great products; you need to stand for something. And, yes, that means your brand will repel some people—but that’s the point. In a crowded marketplace, the brands that thrive are the ones that polarize. Brands that truly get this won’t just attract more customers—they’ll spark movements.
The real question is: Will you be bold enough to lead one?