You Are the Only Brand that Matters

Donald Trump

Donald John Trump is the 45th and current President of the United States. Before entering politics, he was a businessman and television personality. So how did he go from business, to reality tv, to being one of the most controversial presidents in history? Popularity & Controversy.

Donald Trump is proof that the saying "no publicity is bad publicity" is quite accurate. He is the polar opposite of our previous president, Barack Obama. Especially in his rhetoric, political stance on topics like immigration and taxation, and his sense of humor. Regardless of the good things he's done during his short time in office, people will continue to focus on the misogynistic, egoic things that have come out of his mouth. Why? Because it makes for more interesting gossip.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

An Austrian-American actor, filmmaker, businessman, investor, author, philanthropist, activist, politician, and former professional bodybuilder and powerlifter. That's a mouthful.

He's basically living the definition of the "American Dream" - and it's all because of his excellent personal branding. I'm not denying his work ethic or drive, but without a solid personal brand, he would far less successful. Did you know - Schwarzenegger actually sees a speech coach to help him KEEP his Austrian accent thick. He said that he could speak perfect English ‘if I need to’ but added: ‘The very things that they said would make it impossible for me to be successful in acting were the things that became my assets,’ referring to his name, his voice, and his physique. His personal brand has remained congruent over the years, but he's been able to speak perfect English since the 1980s.

Jesse Ventura

Jesse Ventura is an American media personality, actor, author, former politician and retired professional wrestler, who served as the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. How does his experience translate, you ask? Well it doesn't. But he's achieved more than most of us will in our entire lives. Had to include him on this list because he shared a video about his support for Colin Kaepernick. Personally, I don't think he cares about Kaepernick's message as much as he does his personal brand relevance. Seems like he's just chasing clout - (looking to gain popularity & fame off of someone else's name/repetition).

Colin Kaepernick

My favorite on this list because he's just so controversial, and people actually buy it! I made a post about Kaepernick a few weeks back that got mixed feedback. And rightfully so. Both sides of the argument believe that their points are valid, and accurate. I believe that he's doing what's right for his personal, capitalistic agenda as most NFL careers only last about 3 years. So here's the stats:

• Colin Kaepernick Was Benched for Blaine Gabbert
• His declining performance and his dependence on an offense tailored to his skills would have severely limited his opportunities
• He ranked 17th in passer rating and 23rd in QBR with an offensive coach in Chip Kelly
• A December 2014 Rolling Stone article asked, "Are Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick One-Hit Wonders?"
• Now he's currently a free agent

So the NFL's biggest star just can't seem to find a home...

Why? Because he's tackling social justice issues with his personal brand. 

How? Through contradiction. He's living the "American Dream..." as a biracial, adopted male, playing in the NFL - he's using his privilege & platform to directly insult cultural values and our national military. But from a capitalist perspective, it's an excellent strategy for his personal brand. Everyone knows who he is now. He's created a media storm that lots of companies are capitalizing on including Nike. 

He's leveraging the current controversy around civil rights & police brutality to make some cold hard cash. And though I do not respect his alleged stance, I respect his grind to a degree. It's unfortunate how controversy can be so divisive. But it is the fastest, and cheapest marketing tactic. With strategy, it almost always works. Leveraging controversy is akin to discriminating or specializing, however you want to phrase it. 

Furthermore, controversial positioning allows you to speak VERY specifically to an audience segment and capitalize on it. It's a tactic that places a bet that the pockets of a very small, defined group of people have greater potential gain for your brand in the short-run. But it's only a tactic. Controversy doesn't work as a long-term strategy, so it takes some skill to evolve the brand out of it. 

You Have Options

Most professionals aren't willing to risk their reputation to appear controversial for short-term gains. But there are other options.

Option 1 - Focus on building your personal brand

Option 2 - Give your company a personality. Adding a personal touch goes a long way. Most physicians don't want to be the face of their company, and hate making videos. That's okay. Just speak more directly to your customers in your sales copy. Talk about their wants and needs rather than your credentials, and awards. A company can still feel like a human being without having a spokesperson. Progressive, All-State, & Dr. Miami have taken the "spokesperson" approach, while KFC, McDonald's, and American Airlines given their brands a personal vibe.

Diving Deep with Doctors Series

If you follow my posts, I'm sure you've seen our Diving Deep series. This series is essentially free content marketing for physicians, helping them develop their personal brand online - even though they don't have the time to make videos. Here's a deeper look into why I started the series...

Did you know that medical doctors have a suicide rate twice that of the general population? Greater than military and police officers...

Female physicians are at higher risk of attempting suicide than men, showing rates over 250% higher among women and about 70% higher among men versus the general population.

There are many factors that result in untreated depression amongst physicians like working long hours, dealing with angry & demanding patients, malpractice lawsuits, strenuous continued education, medical school expenses, and the ease of access to pharmaceuticals.

Past interviewees have addressed:

• being a physician who is also an introvert
• the struggle to achieve work/life balance
• hurtful comments patients make about dentists
• challenges specifically with money, time, and impossible expectations
• the joys of being a physician (fixing smashed faces, philanthropy in India, improving self-esteem)
• the difficulty of earning a patient's trust

And more... we'd like to surpass 100 interviews this year.