In order to revitalize their brand, the leading global tissue manufacturer Kimberly-Clark has created a brand character for Scott paper to enhance the emotional connection with consumers and manage the product’s brand equity.

The website http://www.scottbrand.com, which was launched last year, features not only information on Scott brand products, but also a friendly and humorous spokesperson named Scott. Through the slogan “Do you know Scott?” the brand invites consumers to look again at one of America’s oldest brands and uses the occasion to communicate the brand personality to their target audience. A series of “Done right” taglines have also been created such as “Cleanup done right.” for towels and “Green done right.” for Scott Naturals. The new taglines and the “Do you know Scott?” campaign do not seem to be directly related to each other but both could assist in revitalizing the Scott brand so long as the brand attributes conveyed are consistent and aligned with brand strategy. Kimberly-Clark has experienced a downturn in Scott product sales recently due to fierce competition from private brands. Maintaining strong brand equity for the Scott brand will help to sustain existing brand loyalty as well as attract new consumers.

Creating brand characters is often an effective way to enhance brand recognition and loyalty. Consumers may not be able to tell the difference between Scott and Kleenex tissues, but if the product brand is well characterized, it makes it easier for them to recognize. Character branding personalizes the relationship between the individual consumer and the product brand and thereby makes a memorable and positive fixture in the minds of consumers. However, creating an effective brand character is no easy task and requires concerted brand communication efforts. Furthermore, brand character recognition and its direct benefits may take years to achieve. Perhaps this is why the new website also features more short term sales-boosting measures such as coupons for price discounts on Scott products. Let’s see if these efforts are helpful for Scott as they strive to keep their brand strong in the current market conditions.