You might think it’s easy for Hollywood-types to have a distinct personal brand. After all, they’re constantly in the spotlight for their careers, personal life and beliefs. They don’t even need to worry about perfecting their brand—or do they?
As you probably realize, your personal brand can come crashing down just as fast as it was built, and this is especially true when you’re in the spotlight. Just like any of us, some famous folks have a better handle on their personal brands than others. Case in point: Leonardo DiCaprio.
Branding lessons
Let’s learn a few branding lessons from this major Hollywood star to see why his brand is so strong:
He’s been consistent with the types of movies and projects he has been involved in. If you think of Leo, you think of big-budget, blockbuster movies. Titanic, Inception, Gangs of New York, Revolutionary Road, and even some of his early career moves such as What’s Eating Gilbert Grape are highly reviewed and very successful films. It seems as though he chooses movies that align with his brand, and it’s served him well thus far in his career. He also realizes his strengths at playing certain kinds of characters, which is important for any professional hoping to build a strong personal brand.
He shares his personal values and passions with his audience. Leo is well-known for being an environmental activist. He shares information on social networks and his personal website about causes that he believes in and encourages his fans to join in his efforts. According to his Wikipedia page, he “has received praise from environmental groups for his activism. In the past, he has opted to fly on commercial flights instead of chartering private jets, and it was reported that he drives a hybrid car and has solar panels installed on his house.” Obviously, in Hollywood, it’s important to not only believe in causes such as preserving wildlife or using solar energy, but to also implement these beliefs into your daily life to show your passion for the cause.
He hardly receives negative press. Unlike other major celebrities who receive most of their press for alcohol abuse, drug addictions and jail time, Leo is mostly in the news for his career and widespread activism. (Although, occasionally, the gossip magazines do dish the dirt on his dating life, which is to be expected for any actor.) If you Google him, most of the top news is about new films and environmental issues—and a recent article on CBS even shares that he’s the highest paid actor in Hollywood this year.
