A Lesson in Personal Branding From “The Fame Monster”

You’ve read about her in magazines. You’ve watched her music videos online. You’ve seen interviews on TV and listened to her songs on the radio. All of a sudden she’s everywhere and sometimes you aren’t quite sure how or why. If you haven’t guessed it, I’m talking about the music sensation who goes by the name of Lady Gaga. Why? Because she is a perfect example of incredible personal branding.

Lady Gaga exemplifies the attributes of someone who thoughtfully created their personal brand and lives it 24-7. She’s eccentric, eclectic, obnoxious, outrageous,  and over the top, but above all she is completely committed to living her personal brand.

Here are a few tips from her not so proverbial playbook:

Be authentic

As the saying goes, “Be yourself, because everyone else is already taken.” Gaga may be over the top, but she’s real about it and brings an authenticity to her personal brand that makes it believable and admirable. Your personal brand should be true to yourself, so that your brand has an authentic value to it.

It’s okay to be different

I wouldn’t show up to your next job interview with a coat made of stuffed animals, but I would recommend bringing out the elements of your brand that make you different. That’s how you’re going to make yourself stand out. The days of cookie-cutter images are coming to an end, and employers are looking for more diversity in the workplace.

Evolution is key

I wrote last week about personal re-branding. It’s very important to evolve your brand as time goes by, but it’s also important to make sure you’re keeping some of the core elements of your personal brand in-tact. Doing a complete 180 can give the impression that your personal brand is not authentic. Gaga’s music style has already begun to evolve, but it still stays true to her image and sound.

It pays to extend your reach

Lady Gaga has her fair share of endorsements and product placements just like other artists. They allow her to extend her brand image across other platforms and, of course, to make more money. Think about how to get your name out there within your industry. Find some organizations that you are interested in and join them. It’s a great way to meet new people inside and outside of your industry. In this day and age sometimes it’s all about who you know – just make sure your associating your brand with the right types of people.

Be creative

Don’t just do the same old thing that everyone else is doing. Find ways to differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack. Try to find some unique ways to promote yourself that will make your brand be the one that gets noticed when you want it to be.

Author:

David Trahan is currently working at leading social marketing agency Mr Youth in New York, and previously held positions with the Ad Council, Goldman Sachs and others. He is a recent graduate of Pace University where he received many scholarships and awards and is now a mentor in their Alumni Mentor Program. David also serves as a member of the AD Club of New York Young Professionals Steering Committee. Connect with him on LinkedIn, Twitter, and on his website.