A Behind the Scenes Look at Personal Brand Building

As you have been hard at work branding yourself, you have probably done some research into the art of brand-building. In my daytime job, as co-owner of the marketing firm Maple Creative, I spend quite a bit of time building brands for companies, products, places and organizations. I thought it might be fun and helpful to take you behind the scenes of how it’s done in our shop.

You are likely familiar with such phrases as “brand awareness” and “brand equity.” If you’ve really done your research well, you may have also encountered such terms such as brand positioning, brand essence and brand mission. All are important to branding, whether branding oneself or developing a commercial brand.

Now, however, it’s time to expose you to the other stuff… the really important elements that true brand-builders contemplate. I believe you are ready for it and that you’ve earned this special privilege. So c’mon … step around that stanchion, follow that rope, just beyond that black curtain. And–whoa–don’t trip over that easel!

Good, you’ve arrived! Ready to have a look at what else goes on?

Ahh – now for the good stuff. This is what really goes on … behind the scenes of brand-building.

Brandana Potential– an important measure of any brand, this determines how good (or bad) your brand logo will look on a ‘doo rag (i.e., a bandana).

B.A.C.– brand alcohol content – the degree to which your brand appeals more strongly to slightly intoxicated consumers (i.e., at cocktail parties, tailgating and keggers). Not to be confused with BUI (more on that later).

Brandapalooza Index – an assessment of your brand’s adaptability and potential usage on a concert T-shirt or tie dye.

Brand Stripper Name – a composite consisting of the name of your brand’s first pet (typically a pet dog or cat) plus the name of the street that your brand grew up on – mine happens to be Buffy Lincoln, for the record. You must always check this before you launch any new brand.

Brangelina Factor – a predictor, used to measure the probability that your brand will become “adopted by” the Hollywood elite crowd. (Will it become trendy in LA? Is your brand logo likely to become tattooed on Angelina, for example?)

Brandy Warhol Syndrome – inevitably your brand will be given its 15 minutes of fame. Is it ready? What would Andy Warhol do with it? How would he shoot it, or paint it?

Small doses of this powerful new knowledge are advisable. That’s enough for today. We’ll show you more next time. Okay,  just find your way out of the backroom. Careful as you go, now. You might be feeling a little light-headed. It’s probably just those SprayMount fumes.

In addition to building brands and helping run a marketing firm, Skip Lineberg is a writer. He is co-author of the book, Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out and Move Up at Your First Real Job.