Who's Got the Best and Worst 'Personal Brands' of 2003?

07/10/03

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SANTA ANA, Calif. -- The current issue of Personal Branding magazine includes for the first time the top five best and worst personal brands of 2003, reports Peter Montoya Inc, publisher.

The five best personal brands, in rank order, are President George W. Bush, Michael Moore, Dr. Robert Atkins, Eminem and Barry Bonds.

The five worst are President George W. Bush, Martha Stewart, Mike Tyson, Anna Nicole Smith, and Jayson Blair.

Personal branding is the process of taking one's skills, personality, and unique characteristics and packaging them into a powerful identity, says Peter Montoya, president. Used properly, it creates a clear, positive image that comes to mind when other people think of someone. An effective personal brand positions one as a leader in their field, helping to build one's reputation and influence. However, by defying the laws of personal branding -- for example, by behaving in a way that contradicts a carefully cultivated image -- one can cause irreparable damage to their personal brand. Martha Stewart, Montoya says, is a perfect case in point.

"I know it seems ironic to have President Bush on the top of both lists, but he truly exemplifies how you can harness the power of your personal brand and also how you can damage it," he says. "As a personal brand, the President performed masterfully, creating expectations far in advance of the war in Iraq, then backing them up at every turn. Love him or hate him, you have to admit that the President never changed his colors to match the week's news or opinion polls, and his message -- national security, Iraqi accountability, American righteousness -- remained consistent.

"On the other hand, as much as he did to bolster his brand through consistency of message, he did as much damage to his brand for a large segment of the population, namely political progressives and liberals, as well as anyone anti-war," Montoya continues. "The same certainty of purpose that served his personal brand well for his core audience has made him a liar, warmonger and would-be dictator to many others," added Montoya.

Not surprisingly, Martha Stewart's legal troubles and her response (or lack thereof) to them, have easily placed her in the No. 2 spot for worst brands. At the other end of the spectrum, diet guru Dr. Robert Atkins, who passed away this past May, represented a picture-perfect use of personal branding. By putting his name on his famous weight-loss plan, he staked his reputation on its success. The brand recently received a major boost from a Duke University study that showed that a low-carbohydrate diet can indeed help you lose substantially more weight than other regimens. There is no doubt that despite his death, Dr. Atkins' brand will live on, Montoya asserts.

What landed others on the worst list? Former New York Times reporter Jayson Blair, recently fired for plagiarism and lying, destroyed his personal brand as a journalist by losing all credibility. Mike Tyson and Anna Nicole Smith have made themselves so unappealing, that it is hard to envision either of them making a return to good favor.

As for the best, filmmaker, author and left-wing provocateur Michael Moore, solidified his personal brand during his politically-charged Oscar acceptance speech, and although no specific event is tied to rapper Eminem, he has managed to consistently raise his prominence as an international multi- media star. Once known for his grumpiness and antisocial behavior, Giants slugger Barry Bonds has transformed his personal brand, cultivating a softer, friendlier persona while maintaining his fantastic baseball skills.

"Every professional and entrepreneur can learn something from each of the celebrities on these lists," says Montoya. "Used correctly, a personal brand can lead to greater success in whatever field you are in. But, when you depart from the basic branding principles by alienating people, losing your credibility, or changing your core message, professional disaster can ensue."

Visit Peter Montoya Inc.: www.petermontoya.com