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I think the concept of “personal branding” is a scam to extract money from the insecure.
Am I alone in not getting the buzz around the concept of personal branding?
On Twitter, I closely monitor conversations about branding and I am constantly sifting through article after article about “personal” branding. From what I can gather, personal branding is like any other kind of branding, applied to your public perception as an individual.
While I agree that you should go on Facebook and remove pictures of you barfing in the garbage can at a college frat party, and you should put forward the best possible image to match your aspirations, I don’t believe that you can create a personal brand that isn’t real. You either are remarkable, or you aren’t. You are either compelling and engaging, or you’re not.
You can paint a picture of yourself on-line to portray yourself as something you aren’t, but it won’t take long for the real world to figure you out.
The best brands - personal or otherwise - are authentic. They reflect that authenticity in everything they do. They are unique and proud of it. They take part in sincere conversations and exchanges with their customers. They accept that they won’t be embraced by everyone, but work hard to foster a relationship with those who do love them.
Alice Cooper is a rock star who has spent 40 years shocking us with his stage antics, gothic costumes, and hard rockin’ music. He also helps rock stars who are recovering from alcohol and drug abuse. He’s a born-again Christian. And he collects expensive Breitling watches.
What would a personal branding expert tell Alice Cooper? Don’t talk about the Christianity because it might scare off the hard rock fans. Don’t mention the Breitling watches because it might turn off the working-class fans. Avoid getting into the rehab work, since rock stars are supposed to love booze and drugs. Fortunately, Alice Cooper knows better, and doesn’t hide any of his quirky un-rock star qualities.
I don’t know. Somehow it feels to me that people who put a lot of effort into ”personal” branding are attempting to polish a turd.
Am I crazy?
8 Responses to “The Myth of Personal Branding”
I think everything you say here about personal branding should apply to business branding. It's not who you say you are, but who you really are that is your brand.
I agree that personal brand is something that is, not something you can make.
I find the idea of personal branding is helpful in pushing myself to do more and to allow myself to be different. After all, that's my brand.
If I think of myself as innovative, then I better do innovative things.
@Frances – You and I think alike on this topic. Being aware of how others perceive you is important, whether you are an individual or a business. Managing those perceptions is vital.
But you can't pretend to be someone (or something) you aren't for very long before you'll be discovered.
We've seen our fair share of young pop stars with polished looks. It didn't take long after for everything to come crashing down as their true selves emerged.
I'm not a fan of Alice Cooper but I appreciate how he will put himself out there with his qualities and flaws. Kudos to him.
Brigitte
Just look at politics for many examples of Personal Branding gone horribly awry. I would argue that politics is the biggest example of so-called "personal branding". Campaign teams try and remake the candidate into something they are not, and usually it comes off as fake, manufactured, and not in touch with reality.
"Real" politicians, or, to suit your blog better, "Rock Star Politicians", are few and far between, and when you see one, you know it's something unusual and special.
hey Steve
to answer your last question – yes you are crazy – but that's another issue.
You're right on the money about authenticity in a social media context. The enormous irony to me is that social media marketers tell clients to 'create' brands for themselves, that this will add authenticity. Well, how can it possibly be authentic if you're completely manufacturing it?
The reality is that the brand exists already – as Frances said: it's not what you say you are but what you actually are.
Brand is a perception held by a consumer. Brand-ing is an attempt to control that perception. The positive perception can only be maintained by the product delivering on the promise. But when the experience (or reality) fails to deliver on that promise, not only do you have a broken brand, but you have a consumer who – like a cuckolded lover – will tell all their friends that you're a swine.
The avenues of engagement have changed, but the rules have not
TL
@Tony – you are right about my level of sanity in general. Thank you for confirming I am, however, not crazy in terms of my perception of the concept of creating a personal brand.
You are very correct in pointing out that the stakes are high. If you build yourself up to be something you aren't, it only takes a few clicks to tell the world about your fraud.
@Brigette – Good point. It seems every teen star is one bad decision away from a court hearing/rehab stint/reality TV show/playboy pictorial. Take your pick.
@Jay – There's an election on in Canada right now. It is painful to watch the way the party leaders are stuffed into awkward situations in order to appear "real". Real people don't walk into Maria Aragon's house in Winnipeg to sing "Imagine" with her in the living room.
This is so true, Steve, especially in the music business! If I can remember my youthful days, when I was trying to make it in the music biz, personality was everything. It's the same today for this middle-aged marketing blogger/consultant.
agree with you! about being you and not pretending. this fuzz about personal branding is probably only meant to describe the oppertunity the web offers, meaning anybody can now connect with anyone. and us 'brand marketers' dont we love to follow such new stuff? I certainly do, for a good cause!