When one is thinking about developing a brand identity from a marketing perspective, it is best to think broadly so that a cohesive system and set of principles are built to support the underlying cause. Dr. David Aaker (e.g., in his book "Building Strong Brands") puts forth a system that challenges practitioners to decompose the way they think about brand identity (both core and extended) along several dimensions, including "Brand as a Product", "Brand as an Organization", "Brand as a Person", and "Brand as a Symbol".
Although I leave the terms above undefined here (because they are defined more rigorously in Dr. Aaker's book), it is a useful exercise in some marketing and brand management classes to have students build a collage as if "they were a brand" by clipping pictures from magazines. The visual imagery is intended to connote some aspects of your core brand identity (some of your "essence") along multiple dimensions (e.g., quality, personality, attributes, skills).
Here's an example that I pieced together for myself (note: first draft, essentially unreviewed). What do you see? What does it tell you about how I see myself? If you know me, does it fit with what you know about me? What consistencies or inconsistencies do you see?
Got a few questions on this pic. Some of the references are to:
a) More Robert Duvall (person in background) and not Marlon Brando (in the Godfather)
b) Joshua Chamberlin (from Civil War and battle of Little Round Top)
c) Doubles team of Peter Fleming and John McEnroe (and not John McEnroe as singles player)
Posted by: Steve Shu | March 29, 2009 at 09:42 AM
I like these Brand as a Product", "Brand as an Organization", "Brand as a Person", and "Brand as a Symbol"
Posted by: marketing and management | December 07, 2009 at 11:58 PM
I also like the brand as a product. It is a good way to effectively teach the importance of branding a company, and creating brand identity.
Posted by: Business management classes los angeles | February 18, 2010 at 02:00 PM
I like your collage, my guess is your a dad and you like war & action films? (plus many other components)
Posted by: Anger Management Los Angeles | March 25, 2010 at 11:15 AM
Yes - I am a dad. As for the professional aspects in the collage, many aspects of this collage have to do with me being a good partner and #2 right-hand man (as opposed to playing #1 role). In cases where I play a right-hand role, I don't simply see myself as an extension of the #1 role. I bring a separate set of skills to the table. I get my hands down and dirty too. I value duty, professionalism, and mastery.
Posted by: Steve Shu | March 26, 2010 at 08:58 AM