Make your customer iconic

A strong brand isn’t just about what you sell. It’s about how you make people feel. Logic influences decisions, but emotion builds loyalty. To create that loyalty, you must understand your audience with depth and character. Think of your customer like a figure in a story. Not a data point, but a person with motives, quirks, contradictions and growth. The clearer you define them, the stronger your brand becomes.

Why your customer needs to be iconic

We live in a world of icons.

Characters that feel instantly familiar, even when they come from different worlds.

Darth Vader. Driven by conflict and past choices. Haunted by responsibility. Wears black.

Jane Eyre. Independent, principled, overcoming hardship. Wears a bonnet.

Super Mario. Determined hero. Loves adventure and mysterious mushrooms. Wears dungarees.

Each is instantly recognisable. You know their motivation, personality and purpose. You could describe their story in seconds.

Your customers deserve the same level of definition. Because if you don’t understand who they are, neither will your audience.

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Beyond demographics

Most businesses stop at a surface description: age, job title, sector. That gives you data, not direction. Real insight comes when you start asking why they behave the way they do.

What drives them? What scares them? Who do they listen to? What do they value?

Think of it like casting a role. You wouldn’t film a movie with an unnamed extra playing the lead. Yet that’s what many brands do when they speak to “target markets” instead of people.

Bring them to life. Give them names, personalities and contradictions. Your customer might be confident in meetings but terrified of pitching their own idea. They might love structure but hate process. The more you know, the clearer your messaging becomes.

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From data to depth

When you understand your customer as a person, not a persona, everything changes. You can write in their language. You can predict what they’ll find valuable. You can position your offer around the moments that matter most. Imagine if Darth Vader were simply described as “a tall man in a mask.” Or Jane Eyre as “a woman who takes a job.” Or Super Mario as “a plumber who jumps.” Technically correct, but emotionally empty. Brands make the same mistake every day. They describe their audience in shallow terms and wonder why nothing connects. Depth brings empathy. Empathy builds connection. Connection builds loyalty.

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How to start defining your icons

1. Pick one or two key audiences. You can’t please everyone, so focus where you can make real impact.
2. Build their backstory. Where are they in their journey? Starting, growing, changing, or coasting?
3. Understand their needs. What are they trying to achieve? What keeps them stuck?
4. Find their voice. How do they speak, joke or complain? What words do they use when they describe their challenges?
5. Give them personality. What would they wear, read, or avoid? What’s their version of a lightsaber, a bonnet, or a pair of dungarees?

When you capture that level of texture, you’ll stop guessing what to say. Your brand will know exactly who it’s speaking to.

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Why this matters

Clarity about your audience does more than sharpen your marketing. It shapes your entire brand. It affects product design, pricing, partnerships and the way your team communicates.

When everyone inside the business understands the same “character”, it becomes easier to write, design and decide.

The result is a brand that feels human, relevant and confident. Not because you used the right template, but because you built empathy into every choice.

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Key takeaway

Your audience should be as vivid as the characters that fill your favourite films, books and games. They need depth, motivation and emotion. They should be recognisable at a glance and unforgettable once discovered. Because when your customer becomes iconic, your brand does too.

Next Step

If you are ready to explore your own brand more deeply, begin with The Brand Check a simple free tool that helps you see where your brand is strong and where it needs focus.

Or continue reading the Untangle Your Brand Vault for more short lessons and ideas to help you build a brand that is relevant, unique, and memorable.