While the look and feel of a brand is important, it’s not just colours, packaging and logos that define how it will be felt by consumers. Every association has the capacity to make or break its fragile existence – badly behaved business owners, poorly run stockists, woeful websites and increasingly un-interactive social media attempts all have the potential to imprint negative connotations.
The recent scandal with David Jones CEO Mark McInnes is a classic example of money can’t mend brand damage caused by an un-desirable association. Burberry and Chanel were quick to dump Kate Moss when the model was pictured doing class A drugs in 2005 and they may have been wise in their decision. The devastating after effects of badly behaved brand ambassadors can cost companies millions and in many cases the damage is unrepairable.
In many cases, high profile personalities are their own worst enemies when it comes to personal PR, constantly undoing the hard work of their publicists. The idea of maintaining a personal brand may be frowned upon or dismissed as a superficial, overly commercial concept. But those who deny its importance are ignoring the highly critical and analytical nature of the human mind.
Gossip columns exist because there is a demand for them – it’s as simple as supply and demand! Within seconds of meeting someone, the human mind will make a number of deductions about that person – like it or not it’s how the mind works. So why not get behind this process and ensure the person you present to the world is the one you want out there. No matter what business you are in, establishing a good personal brand is a great place to start.
