I Hate the Word ‘Brand’
Look, I’ve been in this biz since 1998. Back when we still called it ‘advertising’ and didn’t have to worry about algorithms or influencers or whatever the hell they’re calling it this week. And honestly? I still hate the word ‘brand’.
It’s overused. It’s buzzwordy. It’s… ugh. But here’s the thing: you can’t avoid it. So let’s talk about it. Specifically, let’s talk about how you’re probably screwing up your personal branding.
That Time I Tried to ‘Brand’ Myself
Back in 2005, I thought I was hot stuff. I’d just left my job at a big agency in Chicago and decided to go solo. I hired a coach—let’s call him Marcus—and he told me I needed to ‘build my personal brand’.
So I did. I bought a fancy new camera, started a blog, even got a logo made. I was gonna ‘brand’ myself into the ground. And you know what? It was exhausting. And honestly? It didn’t work.
Marcus kept telling me, ‘You need to be consistent! You need to find your voice!’ But here’s the thing: I’m not a damn toaster. I don’t need to be consistent. I need to be real.
The Problem With ‘Consistency’
Here’s what bugs me about this whole ‘consistency’ thing. People think they need to be the same person everywhere, all the time. Newsflash: that’s not possible. And it’s not even desirable.
Take my friend Sarah, for example. She’s a marketing exec by day, a punk rocker by night. Should she ‘brand’ herself as one or the other? Hell no. She’s both. And that’s what makes her interesting.
But here’s where it gets tricky. Because, yeah, you gotta have some semblance of coherence. You can’t be a vegan activist on Instagram and then post pictures of your steak dinner on Facebook. That’s just… weird.
Authenticity: The Only Metric That Matters
Forget about engagement rates or follower counts or whatever vanity metric is trending this week. The only thing that really matters is authenticity.
And look, I get it. It’s hard to be authentic when you’re worried about what your boss, your clients, your mom might think. But here’s the thing: people can smell inauthenticity a mile away. And once they’ve smelled it, they’re gonna unfollow you, unsubscribe from you, and basically just ignore you.
So how do you be authentic? Be yourself. Shocking, I know. But it’s true. Share your opinions, your passions, your weird hobbies. Let people see the real you.
And hey, if that means you gotta talk about your love of vintage workwear (check out this workwear fashion professional guide if you’re into that kinda thing), then do it. Own it. Because the right people will appreciate it.
The Danger of Overthinking
Here’s another thing that drives me nuts: people overthinking every damn post. They spend hours crafting the perfect caption, agonizing over filters, stressing about what their followers will think.
Newsflash: nobody cares that much. And if they do? They’ve got bigger problems than your Instagram feed.
I remember this one time, I posted a picture of my lunch. Just a damn sandwich. But I was hungry, and it looked good, so I snapped a pic. No fancy editing, no deep caption about the ‘journey of nourishment’ or whatever. Just ‘Lunch. Yum.’
And you know what? It got more engagement than any of my carefully curated posts. Because it was real. It was me. It was… a sandwich.
A Tangent: The Myth of the ‘Personal Brand’
Okay, so this is where I go off on a tangent. Bear with me.
I think the whole concept of a ‘personal brand’ is kinda bullshit. It implies that you’re a product, something to be marketed and sold. And yeah, maybe that’s true to some extent. But it’s also reductive and dehumanizing.
We’re not brands. We’re people. Complex, messy, contradictory people. And the sooner we stop trying to fit ourselves into a neat little ‘brand’ box, the better.
But look, I get it. The world is noisy. Attention is scarce. If you want to stand out, you gotta put yourself out there. So maybe ‘personal branding’ isn’t all bad. Maybe it’s just a necessary evil in today’s attention economy.
I dunno. Maybe I’m just bitter because my attempt at ‘branding’ myself in 2005 was a total flop.
So What Should You Do?
Alright, enough ranting. Let’s talk practical. What should you actually do if you want to, I dunno, not screw up your personal whatever?
First off, stop trying to be perfect. Nobody is. And nobody wants to follow a perfect robot.
Second, be real. Share your passions, your opinions, your weird little quirks. Let people see the real you.
Third, don’t overthink it. Post that picture of your lunch. Share that dumb meme. Write that rambling post about whatever’s on your mind. Just be yourself.
And finally, don’t be afraid to evolve. You’re not a static thing. You’re gonna change, grow, maybe even pivot entirely. And that’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay—it’s necessary.
So go forth. Be you. And for the love of god, stop trying to ‘brand’ yourself.
About the Author: Jane Doe is a senior editor with over 20 years of experience in the marketing industry. She’s worked with major publications, launched her own agency, and made plenty of mistakes along the way. She’s here to share what she’s learned, warts and all. You can find her on Twitter ranting about marketing, media, and the general absurdity of life.
