Brand You.

Recently I read an article in the New York Times called Putting yourself out there to buy. It's about a journalist who has been told that she must brand herself and she struggles to come to terms with this act of selling. She went into journalism so she wouldn't have to sell anything after all.

I think it's interesting that the idea of branding yourself has permeated the mainstream career market. There are even "experts", making a living solely off of helping you brand you. There's even a new book coming out about the topic. It's called, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Branding Yourself" and its due out in May 09. You would think at a school for branding, VCU Brandcenter, we would talk about this all of the time. The truth is, it hardly ever comes up. 

This lead me to two thoughts. First, as juniors how should we brand ourselves in an industry saturated by creativity? Second, who out there has done a great job of branding themselves? 

Addressing the first point: As juniors, it's hard to set ourselves apart. 

But we try so very hard to prove ourselves through our portfolios. Our sizzle causes such smoke that it shadows a pretty thin steak, that is if it isn't smothered with cheese from the get go. I am so skeptical about portfolios. It's easy to get sidelined by the look. This is important for art directions and even for copywriters but what about for planners? If I was in driver seat of planning department I would want people who are so smart they intimidate me, armed with so much gumption and grit they would be invited on anyones 3 on 3 bball pick up game, and with so much positive energy they run circles around even a Jack Russell terrier. How do those things translate to a page? I'm not convinced they do. They can however be translated through stories of experiences held in conversations. 

Addressing my second point: The person who I have always thought does a great job of branding themselves is Kimora Lee Simmons owner of the Baby Phat label. 

I will admit, I have watched a grotesque amount of the Style network and have most likely caught every episode of  her reality show Life In The Fab Lane. She is the living, breathing epitome of her brand. They are one in the same. She is unapologetically wed to her label and its ehtos. It's authentic, it's transparent, it's anything but forced and its her. It's why she's a mogul. 

I guess that's the key- be authentic, be transparent, be you. Don't be gimmicky, and have the kind of sizzle that sears a steak just right without engulfing it in a poof of smoke. And let's be honest, any really good sizzling steak would never, ever need cheese anyways.