Famous: Building a Powerful Personal Brand

A glittering star dressed to look undressed and singing someone else’s songs may become a YouTube or Vine sensation overnight. She may go viral. She may have a million views and a million followers. But is she famous?

Yes. But.

The kind of fame that is useful in personal branding is the kind that endures. It is not about getting people to look but rather it is about engaging a very wide audience consistently. Woody Allen is famous for a lot of things, but the main reason is that he has consistently delivered quality films for nearly 50 years. He gained attention early because of his talent and (it must be said) hard work. Woody Allen’s goal was not to become famous – he wanted to make films.

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When Brands Intrude

The only thing you needed to buy was a dozen eggs, but somewhere on Aisle One you were Brand Attacked!

It happens when people, sitting idly around the marketing department, start wondering how they can engage new consumers better and faster.

“Let’s attack them!”

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“This is…”

If you look around you, you will see that we are inundated by brands. Things that were only products and services until recently now want to be brands. Why?

As we all know, the major reason is that a brand resonates with consumers. It is not just a product name – it is a series of emotional responses evoked in the consumer. A brand is a best friend. It is the cool guy on campus. It is the thing we all aspire to become one day. People do not buy brands because they need them. They buy brands because they want them – brands express a person’s character and individuality.

“People will buy Nike because that is who they are – not just any random pair of sneakers. People buy Coca-Cola because they know it and trust it.”

But how does your regular product become a brand? Sadly, it is not just a matter of declaring your intentions. A board of directors cannot mandate the change, nor can a creative director simply propose a new logo. A brand is much more than that.

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