After reading Rohit Bhargava’s impassioned defense of personal brands, I could not help but laugh. While the personal branding movement may feel it will always be pushing the corporate boundaries, in reality to many, personal brands identify themselves as egos in motion.
As I commented on Rohit’s blog, in truth, Tom Peters did the world a disservice with the Fast Company article, “The Brand Called You,” 13 years ago. Reputation and brand are not synonymous, especially when it directly pertains to the human condition.
Unfortunately, people who want to feel important have latched onto the fad with an iron grip (They would be better focused on simply doing the next right thing). Well, who doesn’t want to feel important? We all do, and it’s likely we all know someone who discusses their personal branding initiative.
What would be some humorous responses to a friend who started talking about their personal brand? Here’s a little list some friends an I put together over the weekend on Facebook.
10) Does it fit in your front door?
9) Who’s your designer (from Lydia Kidwell Sugarman, Venntive)?
8) Does your wife (husband) own half?
7) If your Personal Brand were a tree, what kind of tree would it be (from Ike Pigott)?
6) What color is it?
5) You got branded? Wow! Which ranch? Didn’t that hurt (from Benson Hendrix)?
4) Wow, what have you been drinking?
3) How big is YOUR schwartz (from Kami Huyse)?
2) If it’s personal, keep it to yourself (from Richard Becker).
1) Go take a cold shower, will ya?
What would you add?