Managing Brand You

April 28, 2008
What if individuals could harness the power of branding to improve their lives? Wilson and Blumenthal expound on the rewards of identifying and reinforcing a consistent individual brand in this pragmatic self-help book, which offers readers a step-by-step guide to personal and professional exploration and development. The authors highlight those corporate juggernauts (Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Burger King) and public figures (Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods, Walt Disney—and surprisingly—Mahatma Gandhi) that have used conscious branding to catapult them to success. Subsequent chapters offer straightforward assessment exercises to help readers identify their strengths and key attributes, develop a strategy for “repositioning” or reinforcing “brand essence,” and align their behaviors with their brands. While equating commercial marketing techniques to personal development may initially strike readers as disingenuous or calculating, the authors emphasize that “brand positioning is meant to bring out the best in you, not to set in motion a promotional campaign based on false image.” The true message of this widely appealing book is about being true to yourself and then intentionally and dependably projecting that authentic package to the world.