The Icfai University Press
HRM Review   October '09

BRANDING

The Brand "Me"

-- Padmashree Radhaswamy
Faculty Member, Soft Skills,
ISHRD, Hyderabad.
The author can be reached at
pam-radsumi@yahoo.com

The purpose of this article is to make normal individuals realize the importance of self-aggrandizement in this highly competitive world and know the importance of creating a brand called "Me". The article begins with the various definitions of branding and the different types of branding in existence at present. It then goes on to suggest ways to individuals, to create a message about self and a strategy to promote oneself. Individuals need to question as to what makes them a better brand than the others. The article finally ends with a case study on how normal and ordinary individuals have created a brand for themselves and have been successful in life.

Life is a game-play it. When life is compared to a game, we surely aren't referring to life being just a fun-filled exercise, but are talking about a game that requires dedication, strategic planning, and a certain methodology. A game when played seriously has some rules and regulations to be followed and if we want to win it, the rules are tougher and harder. The ground rule to ensure success in a tournament is that we need to start right at the bottom. To reach the higher levels in the tournament, we need to be, not just above average, but exhibit a stellar performance. So, what should we do to ensure success in life?

We need to create a brand called `Me'. At a time when the entire world is thriving in the use of branded ware, by creating a message for self and promoting self, we become a brand worthy of notice.

What is Branding?

In management terminology, branding is defined as a trade name for a product. Yet another definition says, it is goods and merchandise marked or labeled by a distinctive word or symbol indicating exclusive rights.

There are different types of branding like co-branding, corporate branding, individual branding, personal branding, and employer branding.

Co-branding is when two companies come together for synergy and better marketing purposes, e.g., Vodafone and Hutch.

Corporate branding is using a company's name as a product brand name, e.g., TATA Salt.

Individual branding is when each product or service is named differently. For instance, Voltas, chrome, Westside and Lakme are all Tata's products but each is a brand by itself.

goals, products, and services of the company. For example, employees of TATA, Microsoft, etc., are given orientation regarding the organi-zation's vision and mission.

Personal branding is where people and their careers are marked as brands. All celebrities come under this category as their name itself is a brand. Each of them is an achiever and so stands for certain qualities.

Personal branding in layman's terminology is all about developing distinctive qualities in self, thus making oneself so different from others that one becomes a brand worthy of notice.

So what does it take to promote self?

Much depends on how we would like to be described at our workplace, by friends and family. No one for sure would want to create a passive image of someone lost behind woodwork.

The Week magazine reported in one of its recent issues that the current trend we see in the world is "be less nice and you can be much happier."

A famous ad film maker opines, "Nice was out 10 years ago when the cola wars started." Now winners are not really nice people. When it comes to role models, nobody today, is interested in the `nice' specimens. The stars don't miss an opportunity to dig at their contemporaries… and that makes them popular. Frankly, Ram is out of fashion today, Laxman is perhaps a far better choice. Ravana has a massive fan following. "Nice is a victim, it is no longer a virtue."

This statement is contentious and thereby questionable—If being Nice is passé, why do companies still have credibility checks on their employees? Why do families waiting to get their children married perform background checks? Coming to the main concept, when we draw similarities between ourselves and a product, do we ever think of buying a defective, outdated and a harmful product?

In reply to the ad film maker, I can only say that its hip and happening to say "Nice is passé" but when a reality check is done, especially with reference to the employability of a person, there is a colossal need to stand out and prosper in the corporate world and when it comes to one's personal life, one can't risk having a notorious criminal as a partner or as a son-in-law.

Corporates insist on technical expertise and exceptional behavior. One without the other is not welcome. Apart from expertise, they also seek the differentiation factor. Just like the products and goods sold in the market, individuals need to differentiate themselves from others in the organization. Hence, the need to create a brand called "me" in order to differentiate self from others in the market and become a brand worthy of notice.

What each person needs to ask himself is, "Why am I a better brand than the others? What interest do people have in buying me?" Because it's a new brand world and you need to make yourself into a unique product.

"A differentiated product remains a differentiated product only until the emergence of the first follower"—Seymons Tiller. So, it must be understood that the ground rule for any product uniqueness is retaining the product uniqueness on a continuous basis. It is not a one time effort.

Harvard's Theodre Levitt, in his total product concept, speaks of the generic product, expected product, augmented product and potential product (Figure 1).

Generic product is the basic product composition, sans a brand name.

Expected product is what the customer wants.

Augmented product is where the frontiers of differentiation become visible. New innovative aspects of the product are presented to differentiate.

Potential product is value added augmentation that hasn't been thought of yet but is possible.

Applying Harvard's Theodre Levitt's product concept to individuals, a generic product is the individual who is determined by the race he belongs to: his genes, health, his socioeconomic background. For example, a Dravidian, with both parents highly educated, enjoying good health and coming from an upper middle class background. When I describe an individual thus, immediately it is a common perception that the product is an intelligent, hardworking, committed individual with a healthy mind.

The expected product is an appropriate blend of academics, extracurricular activities, friendliness and safety. For instance, if the individual is a product of IIM Ahmedabad, an active member of the cultural club, with an amazing interest in networking and an active member of the safe environment club—all these speak for the person and probably there are many organizations which desire a product of this nature.

The augmented product is the differentiation factor; the innovative self. For instance, if an individual has innovated products or comes up with some valid theories, it would be his augmented self.

The potential product is that aspect of an individual which has not been demonstrated as yet but based on the individual's capability levels and skill sets it is expected that he would carry off any work given to him with aplomb.

So, individuals with a profound desire to excel should aim for nothing less than being an augmented product or a potential product in order to become a noticeable product. Once again, the product requirements keep differing from market to market and segment to segment. There are nine ways to differentiate self:

Uniqueness: Be a brand which is not hackneyed. In other words, be a product that cannot be copied.

Net accessible: Networking is one sureshot means to publicize self. The wider the network, the greater the probability of increasing "brand me" popularity.

Focused expert services: An i