The proliferation of Web 2.0 services like Twitter has led to the rise of the "brandividual," or the marketer who uses these tools to further his own brand as well as that of the company he works for,
writes
Advertising Age's Abby Klaasen. Ford Motor Company's Global Digital & Multimedia Communications Manager Scott Monty is one example, claims Advertising Age's contributor David Armano, in
a blog post
blog post. "For some, the idea is scary -- the melding of our personalities with the companies and brands we work for,"
Armano writes. "Call it whatever you want; I believe we'll see more of it."
While some argue that personal and corporate brands should be as separate as church and state, "I'm not sure it's
that simple," Armano says. In his post's comments section, Paula Drum, director of marketing for H&R Block, argues that we'll see more "brandividuals" as a younger generation moves into marketing.
"The risk was far greater for Scott to associate his personal brand with Ford than Ford to be associated with Scott," she wrote. "Ford has benefited from the audience/reach/credibility/human voice
that Scott brought with him."
Nevertheless, questions arise, Klaasen says. For example, what happens when a "brandividual," in an attempt to defend the brand from an online critic, seems to
be telling the customer he's wrong? Or what about when a "brandividual" wants to leave the company? Whoever replaces Scott Monty at Ford would have to build a new Twitter presence, for example.
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Going the next logical step, the brandividual becomes a separate entity from any organization he/she works for, and, as such, endeavors to build a "rock star" presence. Hey, does anyone know who Carrie Underwood or Nickelback "work" for? Does anyone care? Of course not. They bring their brand identity to the table and the record label, or brands they are endorsing leverage their personna (read "brand"). No longer will hallowed corporate halls be any exception. C, D, and V people, at least, will come to need their own brand. And let's be perfectly clear -- it will not be based on mere merit or ability. Think Paris Hilton, here, folks. She does not act, sing, tell jokes, or provide any discernable form of entertainment but herself. So it will be with the next generation of gray flannel celebs. Can you say, "That's haaahhht." I think ya caahn!