There are six situations in which anger is unacceptable in a civil society:
1). When it is too intense.
2). When it occurs too frequently.
3). When it lasts too long.
4). When it leads to person-directed aggression or violence.
5). When it destroys interpersonal relationships.
6). When it has health implications.

Anger is one of the most misunderstood and overused of human emotions. Anger is not a planned action – it’s a reaction to an inner emotion. Anger is energy. It serves a purpose by giving people the drive and determination to cope with difficult situations we find ourselves in. Anger helps discharge tension. If handled well, anger can help resolve conflict and improve relationships with others. Anger is an easy emotion to show; everyone gets angry.

George Anderson

“Obviously Serena needs anger management classes or a shrink.”

Dan, this post has a couple nuggets of good info, and I agree with the general message, and that we should all try to learn from these celebrities’ mistakes, but you “obviously” don’t have the authority to make statements like those above.

I agree that both celebrities acted out in negative ways, and I think they both damaged their brands, but you’ve just created a brand for yourself that implies, “Dan Schawbel jumps to generalizations,” and “Dan Schawbel thinks he’s a doctor.” This kind of branding is appropriate for someone like Perez Hilton, who people expect to make wild unqualified statements and criticisms–not for someone who purports to be THE personal branding maven. I actually agree with your opinion of the two celebrities, but I think you should have kept your personal views quiet–It’s just not compliant with your brand. The post is stronger without those statements!

For Serena Williams, you aptly pointed out that many of her supporters will be rooting against her now. This may be true, but they will still be tuning in and buying tickets so they can actively root against her. She will not lose much beyond the immediate penalties levied against her. Much like John McEnroe before her, most fans will see this only as a testament to her passion for the game.

Kanye West is a bit different and he may suffer somewhat in the near and longterm, but he has a history of this behavior. It fits into his image very well. While he may lose some fans, they will come back. Kanye is successful because he is very good at what he does. While this outburst will garner negative press, it will also keep him in the news – an important feat given his last album’s relative failure. The last thing an artist like Kanye needs right now is to drop out of the mainstream.

Great brand analysis. I would suggest to take three celebrity branding studies but showing their positive image. We focus a lot on negative.

Thanks,