It’s time.
I’m reconnecting with my two decades of entertainment PR and Journalism roots over the next few months to let you in on the secrets of true personality branding that inspires and impacts the masses (and sets you up for greater credibility and revenues).
I’ve got several new projects in the works coming from that platform and I am REALLY excited because it’s about serving you so that you benefit and I get to express in my core creativity!
Some of my most colorful and BOLD ideas came from that PR and Journalism head and heart space allowing me to express that core essence. I invested countless hours, weeks, months and years in highly creative offices and meetings, film premieres, photo shoots, live events, celebrity infused parties, high profile dinners, studio sets, and visual and performing artist homes learning and living the expertise of influencing the masses with compelling, inspiring, and impactful PR.
There’s a simple secret we used every day in my entertainment office while coming up clever story angles to influence the media and masses. I’ll reveal that secret here.
Today begins the journey of opening up the creative vaults to walk you through what is truly a genuine, authentic, life enhancing, stand out brand. The first of several blog articles – I am starting today with a topic that can totally inspire you as it does me.
I’m choosing to focus on the brand power of celebrity women who have taken their intelligence, wit, courage, talent and savviness to be entrepreneurial role models beyond their celebrity who inspire us to be leaders and business owners on our own terms.
My first and favorite of all celebrity brands who I admire and respect is the Academy Award winning actress and producer Sandra Bullock.
Why her?
Who doesn’t like Sandra? She represents the ultimate woman who is down-right relatable, genuine, smart, sassy, overly funny, and extremely financially successful having been ranked in 2007 as the 14th richest woman in the entertainment industry with an estimated fortune of $85 million.
In 2009, Bullock starred in two of the more financially successful films of her career, The Proposal and The Blind Side, which she won an Academy Award for her leading role as Leigh Anne Tuohy. Bullock was also awarded the BFCA Award, SAG Award, and Golden Globe Award for the same role.
She is listed in the 2012 edition of Guinness World Records as the highest-paid actress, with $56 million. In 2013, she starred in The Heat, financially the most successful comedy of the year at the domestic box office, and the science fiction thriller Gravity. As one of the highest grossing films of the year coming in at $230 million at the box office worldwide, Gravity is Bullock's most successful film critically and commercially. Bullock was nominated a second time for the Academy Award for Best Actress, along with the BFCA, Golden Globe and SAG awards plus her first BAFTA nomination.
So beyond ALL that enormous success, you will find an incredible down-to-earth, genuine and unpretentious woman who stays out of the spotlight as much as possible except when she is promoting her movies as required in the formula of filmmaking.
She gets my GENUINE BRANDING AWARD for using her celebrity for good intentions and building her own businesses on her own terms. She understands the wise use of her fortunes to invest in other businesses. Bullock runs her own production company, Fortis Films, and in November 2006 she founded and opened Bess Bistro in Austin, Texas. That was followed by opening her 2nd Austin restaurant – an upscale bakery named Walton’s Fancy and Staple.
Let’s get down to the business of branding.
10 Things We Love About Sandra Bullock’s Brand
1. Real. Regardless of how successful she is – the essence of her unpretentiousness and humor rates high in the emotional value category because people genuinely like her and relate to her. She feels like your next door neighbor; not a celebrity. Her branding perception is spot on. When you have a brand that truly speaks to who you are; not what you do – you win. When this happens, you connect with your audience emotionally. That is the most valuable factor of any branding. Do you ever pass up a movie she comes out in? I don’t. That’s how being an emotionally compelling brand converts.
2. Personality is power. There is only one unique you. Sandra has this in spades and is unapologetic about it. Look at your values, passions, interests, opinions on culture, your family, business savvy and more to use in your branding content. Speak it. Live it. As a result, you take yourself out of the competition. (That’s the SECRET I was referring to earlier about the entertainment PR formula).
You hedge the competition and build more loyal followers by using your one and only main asset. In today's overly saturated market, you MUST be consistent with your online marketing to then build your know, like & trust factor.
3. Motherhood/Family. When Sandra adopted her son Louis Bardo Bullock only a month after her very public divorce from Jesse James, she gained the hearts of her audience which steered them away from the ridiculous banter about her ugly divorce. VERY smart PR move and personal choice. Sources say she had started the adoption process prior to the marriage debacle – and she chose to carry on as a single parent with a ton of DIGNITY. Major votes here for savvy branding! Keep in mind she has a publicist helping her with all this – but she makes creative choices behind the scenes. I did this all the time with my celebrity clients. What SMART move can you make in your life or business that can be publicized to your audience creating credibility?
4. Incredibly funny. She’s like the modern day Lucille Ball. Witty, hilarious and charming. That humor asset will keep her on top for years to come and she wears it well in her branding. Find your key asset and flaunt it in all your branding.
5. Inspirational – she knows how to makes you feel good. Did you know that 80% of successful brands make you feel great and inspired, whereas only 20% of an effective brand is what you know (your talent and expertise). Yep. There is the emotional resonance again. When you can inspire others with your branding content – help them feel good about themselves – you gain trust on the spot – and speaks volumes about conversion.
6. Woman business owner in a male dominated industry. Does making the 2014 Forbes 100 Most Powerful Celebrities list coming in at a worth of $51 Million (#36) convince you to ask her to mentor you? I’m researching ways to connect with her and ask her to be my business mentor! 🙂 Yes, her acting talent is a large percentage of that wealth, but I want to know how she makes decisions in her daily business ventures. She’s got a very successful production company and two restaurants. That takes know how, a system, and major decision-making power. What unique talent do you have in your business that can be used as a story angle to be pitched to a media contact or how can you use your expertise to support another (mentoring) and write a blog post, social media campaign or email campaign around that?
7. Innovative. When you are seen as an innovative business or owner on top of your game thriving – that speaks influence and the Impression of increase. People want to be with others who help them feel in high vibration and expanded. She is successful inside and out. She does this beautifully. She is innovative in her style and presence. How can you reflect an innovative style and feel to your brand by sharing some of your most exciting and successful experiences? Communicate innovation.
8. Style. Need I say more?
9. Connected to her market. She clearly knows her market (women) and speaks to us in all her branding without trying hard. Trust me – behind the scenes – she and her PR people research her market to know what to focus on in her branding. Just this week I posted the photo above “I made peace with the fact..” on my fan page as a brand I admire and I am still getting likes days later and it’s becoming the highest “liked” post on my fan page in months without boosting or buying an ad. All organic. Do your research. Do a survey. Intimately know your ideal client’s passions, interests, successes, fears, pains, and challenges. Then speak to that in your marketing and sales. She knows how to capture public interest. With all of the above (1-9) Sandra captures public interest naturally through her genuine essence. When you can be all of you without the pretense, façade, or hype, and be a natural while accepting all of you (flaws included) – people will flock to you.
10. The best for last! She has a compelling story. Your personal challenge to victory story is the CORE of your brand. That’s what makes you unique above all and the story is about how you inspire others through your courage, tenacity, and passion to persevere.
On Thursday Sept 4th in the South Bay of Los Angeles, I am bringing together a small group of passionate, driven, high achieving, dedicated entrepreneurs who are eager to be coached the principles of branding in a VIP Mastermind Day. To be accepted into this think tank – an application and 30 min call are required to be considered. “The Brand of YOU: The Proven System of Perception, Positioning, Impact and Profit” day program will help you with:
- Clarity of who you are – Perception
- Emotional resonance – Positioning (How people relate with you and take an action)
- Your Story – building the Know, like, trust factor – Impact
- Monetizing your brand – Profit
First-come-first-served for 10 interview call slots booked between now and Aug 15. I only have up to 8 spots for the Mastermind Day. I expect the spots to fill quickly before Aug 15. I’m offering a special summer rate well below my normal half or full day VIP day rate. And, the first three registered, I am buying lunch to join me during the lunch break. You'll have my private attention to ask me anything you want about your branding positioning for an hour with 2 others.
Will you take advantage of this for increased ROI? Click here to book your 30 min interview for details and rates. Someone on my team will get back to you promptly.