Branding Strategy Insider helps marketing oriented leaders and professionals like you build strong brands. BSI readers know, we regularly answer questions from marketers everywhere. Today’s question comes from Ryan, a brand manager in Salt Lake City, Utah who asks this about classifying brands.
I’ve been a huge fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championship since its beginning in 1995. As a brand manager, it has been interesting to see how Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta have positioned the UFC and successfully made it the self-proclaimed “fastest growing sport in the world”. I’ve also followed how well, or how poorly, each of the fighters brand themselves in press conferences before and after the fights as well as through social media. In your opinion, are there any major differences in the brand management of a person vs. a product? If so, what are those differences?
Thanks for the question, Ryan. This somewhat popular brand definition is ironic: “A brand is the personification of an organization or its products or services.” So if we are branding people, we are literally imbuing those people with human qualities. Hmmm…
Having said that, branding people is not fundamentally different from branding products. The big difference is, when branding a person, one can seek that person’s input on what motivates him or her so that one can anchor the brand in authenticity and passion. One also tries to anchor product brands in authenticity and passion. But sometimes that can be created and instead of asking the person one can investigate the underlying organization’s mission, vision, values, strategic intent, core competencies, culture, etc. Then the trick is to build relevant differentiation into the brand based on the target market’s needs and the brand’s unique strengths. In this way, branding is not different for people or products.
We also try to build emotional connection between the brand and its target audiences. There are many ways to do this for products and people, however with people, there is an element of personal coaching that helps in this regard. Also, with people, there is often a period of introspection through journaling and other methods, that helps them better understand who they really are and what motivates them to succeed.
In summary, brands – organizations, products or people – are built through awareness, relevant differentiation, value, accessibility and emotional connection. The added steps for people as brands — mixed martial arts fighters included — are facilitated self-reflection and some level of brand consulting or coaching.
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