As a student majoring in Advertising and Branding with a focus in Art Direction and a minor in Fashion Photography, I think about how a brand persona influences a person differently than simply reviewing a brand.

Let me explain. When someone reviews a brand or product, the intention is to capture the experience of the product. This includes its feel, texture, potential places to wear or use it, purpose, fabric, materials, quality, and even the brand’s reputation and customer loyalty.

A persona, however, represents a group of people within a particular demographic range. Rather than being too narrowly defined, it explores the broader characteristics and behaviors of a target audience. A standard persona considers a person’s needs, wants, and buying behavior, including brand recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchasing power, and post-purchase behavior.

In addition, personas help establish the goals of a campaign and how its storytelling connects to a specific product launch, collection, or season.

When focusing on mood boards, I wanted to take the mood board to the next level. My goal was to create a highly saturated layer that captures the meat and potatoes—the extra sauce, the extra dressing, and an entertaining abundance of details that I believe connect to each brand’s persona.

This approach also allows me to create a mini case study. I can better understand how different brands present themselves from a broader perspective by styling one piece or a few pieces and exploring the different ways they can be interpreted. Ultimately, this process allows me to take a deeper dive into each brand’s identity, its relationship with its audience, and the storytelling behind its products.