Sep 21, 2006

Brand "u"

A brand in today's world has extended from being a mere recognizing factor of a product or service, it is an extension of the persona itself. Here I am talking about a brand in a very holistic way. As a professional, every touch point with my team/client/work is an extension of the brand that is me. What is it that your brand conveys?

You cannot ever fake or put a spin on your personal brand. What you are and where you want to be is reflected in every action of yours. A mask does not work well, it will slip anytime. Your true self will show up. You are a leader by your actions, not by your "title". Your team will respect you, follow you for what values you stand for, and not anything else. Your clients will respect you not for your sweet talking or ego flattering behavior, or how well you "like their way of working", it is for the legacy that you bring.

That legacy is the value that you give them, the integrity in which they trust, knowing that you measure your successes by their success.

Brand "u" is not a "spin". It is a natural extension of your personality.

Cheers!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

oh!! this(Brand'U') is an eyeOpener for many people. keep commingUp with this kind of Stuff.

Masood Nasser said...

Hi Anon,

Anon, thanks. Will definetly keep writing in this vein for some time at least. Am gettting ample fodder for thought:-)

Cheers
masood

Anonymous said...

Masood bhai,
I guess this blog is an extension of you - thus promoting the "brand u". In my case it has been proven true. So much so, now...when I have to interact with a new set of people...I somehow try and squeeze in my blog url...and the entry becomes easy! I promise.

Masood Nasser said...

Jammy,

As I said, everything that we do is an extension of our personality. but the intention here is not for promotion, but more for people to make an effort to be true to themselves.

See as much as i try to behave like a jerk.. the real angel in me comes thru.. see.. see:-)

As for your introductions, let me guess, "hi "this is ouchmytoe.com/jammy"..

Rajesh Rangarajan said...

Hi Masood,

Just an extension of the brand u. Look at some of the most successful companies like Virgin, UB etc.. The brand is the reflection of the CEO's personality.Richard Branson is a maverick and unconventional guy. So the brand virigin will make foray into any category and the inbuilt positioning statement is unconvetional.So Virgin Records is primarily into to western classics. The Brand Branson is the underlying layer for the Brand Virigin.

Masood Nasser said...

Spot on Rajesh. I think it is a deliberate attempt to extend the CEO Persona to the brand. But apart from this brand positioning, they have shrewdly invested in the main differentiator, Customer Experience".

In their brands, Virgin Airlines, as well as Kingfisher Airlines, the focus is mainly on the customer. This is again an extension of their personality. They experience “larger than life experiences” and give their customers the same when their customers avail their services.

BTW, on a recent Mumbai trip, while I was on my way to the airport, saw Vijay Mallya whoosh by in a magnificent set of wheels. The poise and the style of the guy, on a hi-fi mobile gadget (assuming he was discussing business strategies), was something else. His brands reflect at least some aspects of his personality.