More on branding: the “personal brand”
What does it mean to have a brand? Is it anything more than a company’s “persona” (notwithstanding the cognitive dissonance that comes with anthropomorphizing an entity that way)? These days in the online world you see the prominence of “personal brands,” which I characterize as the gravitas behind an individual which is often more powerful than the effect of that person’s affiliation with a company. Look at Frank Gruber. It takes some digging to see that he’s with AOL. In my perception, at least, Jeremiah Owyang is larger than his affiliation with Forrester. And a few people whom I’ve known for some time have expressed surprise to learn that I’m with a law firm, and not just working under Internet Cases.
Is there any meaning to be had from thinking about reputation and association in terms of “personal brands”? Is it anything more than persona? I wonder if there is anything new under the sun to be had in thinking about it in these terms. Or is it something that’s been there all along, just now coalescing into a notion articulated in this way. Regardless, it’s an understatement to say that reputation, credentials (whether real or illusory), goodwill, and the sum total of what you create and share online are currency in the modern information marketplace.
Sphere: Related Content