Persona Exploration: Salvador “Snakes in his Head” Contiga

Meet Salvador Contiga, an affluent but value driven consumer.  Salvador is drawn to innovative, well-planned products and services that keep pace with his dynamic lifestyle. He does not perceive high-end products as a status symbol, but rather as an embodiment of his multi-dimensional, passionate lifestyle. Salvador’s core values are mentoring, exploring his curiosities, helping those without a voice, and shunning convention and stereotypes. He is overall content but sometimes worries about societal epidemic’s including violence, anxieties and low self-esteem. He also is troubled that he cannot commit to a job—he has worked as a voice over artist, consultant, financier, marketer, and sports agent, and is only 39. He aspires to find a meaningful job that will satisfy his intellectual curiosity, as well as to influence others to find their passions in their careers and hobbies.

Everyday, Salvador revels at the million opportunities for work and play in his external environment; he can never seem to settle on any one and just as he switches careers constantly, he also dabbles into many hobbies.  Similiarly, his friends come from all walks of life. He thrives from learning from others and appreciates diverse perspectives. Often, he stops by the side of the road to chat with the homeless man, curious as to how a person can burn so many bridges that not even one friend will take him in. Nevertheless, Salvador always gives humanity the benefit of the doubt. At his core, Salvador is caring and respects all walks of life so cause based marketing campaigns, including those benefiting Darfur and Hurricane Katrina victims, often entice him.

His measures of success are achieving inner peace, positively influencing as many people as possible, and always improving and stretching his horizons. His obstacles are negative influences, insincere people, and convention without insight. Salvador always has an attitude of wonderment, constant intellectually curiousity. He never accepts anything at face value and often humors in life’s ironies. He has an unassuming, low key appearance and is most likely wearing casual Dockers kakis, and a pullover sweater, or a collared shirt on nice occasions. He dresses for comfort and practicality, not to stay on trend or make a statement except that he will purchase for cause based marketing.

Behaviorally, he is exceptionally inquisitive and talks to everyone, asking a lot of questions.  Friends are there to enlighten him and for him to enlighten them.  His bosses tell him to stop  trying to save the world and just finish the task at hand. His influencers tend to be people similarly minded to him in that they are always trying to effect change and innovate. Salvador’s fear is missing out on experiencing life, and he often has intense FOMO. He is frustrated by bureaucracy, insincere politics, and bravados. His obstacles are his own psyche, and he often jokes that the “snakes in his head” stop him from ever making a decision or getting anything done, although he always excels in his achievements.

While the market offers a smorgasbord of purchase options, Salvador will only purchase innovative, well-thought out products. He is a first adapter, but a product needs to hold his interest long enough to merit repeat purchases.  Product performance is vital as Salvador does not purchase for prestige and has no tolerance for poorly crafted products that do not understand his needs. Innovation, creativity and connecting to Salvador’s lifestyle are crucial in maintaining his brand loyalty. While Salvador does not align himself to any one brand, he often purchase Apple products in light of its understanding of how to keep up with his busy lifestyle and constantly keep him engaged. Marketing campaigns that reflect a connection between the product and Salvador’s busy, risk-taking lifestyle will draw him in, rather than prestige based campaigns. In short, the Salvadors of the world want products that will mesh with their active, intellectually curious, spontaneous, value-driven lifestyles.