What is a Personal Brand? And How to Establish Yours!
You've probably heard of the term personal brand but are wondering where to start? In this post we'll be looking at what is a personal brand and how to establish yours! Plus, we have some helpful case studies from the Kardashians who, let's be honest, are masters of personal branding. Let's dive in...
A personal brand is the image and identity you create and project to the world that represents who you are, what you stand for, and what you offer. It’s the combination of your personality, values, skills, and experiences that makes you unique and distinguishable from others. A personal brand is not just about how you present yourself online or in public but also about the reputation you build through your actions, choices, and how you engage with others. It’s essentially your personal marketing strategy that allows you to communicate your value to the world, whether it’s for personal growth, career advancement, or entrepreneurial success.
The concept of personal branding has been known for many years now. However, it wasn't until I recently finished watching Kris Jenner's personal branding masterclass on the Masterclass platform that I began really taking notice of the key concepts used to build a personal brand. A personal brand could be used to refer to an influencer who markets their personality and content style, usually documenting their daily life. On the other hand, it also refers to an influential figure or individual who uses their loyal following and persona to launch a standalone brand.
A History of Personal Brands and the Very First Examples
The concept of personal branding has evolved significantly over time, but its roots can be traced back to the early days of mass media and public figures. One of the earliest examples of a personal brand is Benjamin Franklin, who carefully crafted his public persona through his writings, inventions, and political endeavours, creating an image of a self-made man and a polymath. Another early example is P.T. Barnum, who was a master of self-promotion and used his personal brand to become a famous showman and businessman.
In the 20th century, the rise of Hollywood celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana and Audrey Hepburn demonstrated the power of personal branding, as they became global icons through carefully managed public images. The modern concept of personal branding as we know it today was further developed in the 1980s and 1990s, particularly with the advent of social media, which allowed individuals to cultivate and control their public personas on a larger scale.
Why It's Important to Establish a Personal Brand
Establishing a personal brand is crucial in today’s highly connected world because it allows you to differentiate yourself from others, build credibility, and establish a reputation that can open doors to new opportunities. A strong personal brand helps you to be recognised for your expertise and values, making it easier for people to trust you and want to engage with you, whether it’s in a professional, social, or business context. Additionally, a personal brand can serve as a foundation for building a successful business or advancing your career, as it gives you a platform to share your message, influence others, and create a lasting impact. Although a personal brand is built around consistent values, don't be afraid to reinvent yourself in order to make it easier and more authentic for you to build your personal brand. Sometimes, changing direction in your business can help to bring you to where you should be and into an industry or niche that feels right for you.
How to Create a Personal Brand to Benefit Your Business
Creating a personal brand that benefits your business involves aligning your personal values, skills, and experiences with your business goals. Start by identifying your unique strengths and what sets you apart from others in your field. Next, define your target audience and determine what value you can offer them through your personal brand. Develop a consistent message and visual identity that reflects who you are and what your business stands for. Use social media, public speaking, and content creation to share your story and expertise, building a community around your brand. By positioning yourself as a thought leader or authority in your niche, you can attract customers, partners, and opportunities that align with your business goals.
Lessons from the Kardashians on How to Create a Powerful Personal Brand
Although it can be tough to stay on top of all the Kardashian-Jenner business ventures, one thing is for sure: they know how to dominate their individual industries by using their personal brands. Although some of their businesses haven't always worked out in the past, their current empire of brands is seriously impressive! Whether it's Kylie appealing to her Gen Z followers, Kim monetising her obsession with shapewear or Khloe launching a clothing line that resonates with women everywhere, they've excelled at picking a topic they're known for and creating a profitable brand by filling that niche.
The Kardashians are masters of personal branding, and each family member has created a distinct brand that reflects their personality and interests. Here are some lessons we can learn from them:
Kim Kardashian: Kim’s brand is built on glamor, beauty, and entrepreneurship. She has used her personal brand to launch successful businesses like KKW Beauty and Skims, demonstrating the power of leveraging a personal brand to create and sell products. Lesson: Consistency and staying true to your core values are key in building a strong personal brand.
Kylie Jenner: Kylie’s personal brand revolves around beauty and fashion, particularly with the launch of Kylie Cosmetics. Her brand shows how you can tap into trends and build a massive following by understanding your audience’s desires. Lesson: Use your personal brand to create products that resonate with your audience and meet their needs.
Khloé Kardashian: Khloé’s brand is about fitness, health, and body positivity, which she has translated into her Good American clothing line. Lesson: Your personal brand can be an authentic extension of your passions and values, which can help you connect deeply with your audience.
Kourtney Kardashian: Kourtney’s brand focuses on wellness, motherhood, and lifestyle, reflected in her Poosh brand. Lesson: Diversifying your brand to encompass various aspects of your life can create a more holistic and relatable image.
The Kardashians have each built unique and highly successful brands that reflect their personal interests, values, and market opportunities. Here’s a closer look at each Kardashian-Jenner brand, their unique values, the story behind them, and the niche they serve:
1. Kim Kardashian: SKKN & SKIMS
Brand Overview:
SKKN: Launched in 2022, SKKN started as a cosmetics brand focused on a 7-step skincare range, reflecting Kim’s signature skincare routine. The brand expanded to include a full range of beauty products, including concealers, lipsticks, and other makeup products.
SKIMS: Founded in 2019, SKIMS is a shapewear and loungewear brand that offers inclusive sizing and a focus on body positivity. SKIMS redefined shapewear by offering a variety of skin tones and sizes.
Brand Values:
Inclusivity: SKIMS, in particular, is celebrated for its commitment to offering a wide range of sizes and skin tones, promoting body confidence.
Luxury and Accessibility: While both brands are positioned as luxury, they are accessible to a wide audience due to their mid-range pricing and availability.
Innovation: Kim has consistently brought innovative products to the market, such as her unique contour kits and the modern approach to shapewear.
Story Behind the Brand: Kim Kardashian capitalised on her iconic beauty looks to launch SKKN. Recognising a gap in the shapewear market, she also created SKIMS, offering products that cater to a diverse audience, addressing the lack of variety in existing shapewear products. Both brands serve the niche of consumers who seek high-quality, accessible beauty and fashion products that cater to various body types and skin tones.
2. Kylie Jenner: Kylie Cosmetics & Kylie Skin
Brand Overview:
Kylie Cosmetics: Launched in 2015 with the famous Kylie Lip Kits, the brand quickly expanded into a full line of makeup products including eyeshadows, blushes, and highlighters.
Kylie Skin: Introduced in 2019, Kylie Skin focuses on clean, simple, and effective skincare products, appealing to a younger audience seeking affordable yet luxurious skincare.
Brand Values:
Youthful Glamour: Kylie’s brands are known for their vibrant, trendy, and glamorous appeal, targeting a younger demographic.
Affordability: Despite their high-end image, Kylie’s products are priced to be accessible to a broad audience, particularly young women.
Transparency: Kylie Skin emphasises transparency with its ingredients and claims, catering to the growing demand for clean beauty.
Story Behind the Brand: Kylie Jenner’s love for makeup, particularly her obsession with lip products, led to the creation of Kylie Cosmetics. The massive success of her Lip Kits, fuelled by her large social media following, allowed her to expand the brand into a full-fledged cosmetics line. Kylie Skin was a natural extension, catering to her audience’s interest in maintaining healthy, glowing skin. Kylie’s brands serve the niche of young, beauty-conscious consumers who want trendy, affordable, and high-quality products.
3. Khloé Kardashian: Good American
Brand Overview: Good American, co-founded by Khloé Kardashian in 2016, is a fashion brand that started with denim and has expanded into activewear, bodysuits, and swimwear. The brand is known for its inclusive sizing and body-positive messaging.
Brand Values:
Body Positivity: Good American is committed to promoting body confidence and inclusivity, offering products in a wide range of sizes.
Empowerment: The brand’s messaging is centred around empowering women of all shapes and sizes to feel confident in their bodies.
Sustainability: Good American also incorporates sustainable practices in its production, such as using recycled materials and eco-friendly processes.
Story Behind the Brand: Khloé’s personal journey with body image and her desire to create fashionable, comfortable clothing for women of all sizes inspired the launch of Good American. The brand challenges the fashion industry’s narrow standards by offering stylish options for women who previously struggled to find flattering clothing. Good American serves the niche of women seeking fashionable, high-quality clothing that celebrates and fits their bodies, regardless of size.
4. Kourtney Kardashian: Poosh
Brand Overview: Launched in 2019, Poosh is a lifestyle and wellness brand that offers everything from beauty tips to health advice, alongside curated product recommendations and an online store.
Brand Values:
Wellness: Poosh focuses on holistic wellness, promoting a balanced lifestyle that includes physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Authenticity: The brand reflects Kourtney’s personal approach to healthy living, emphasising organic, natural, and clean products.
Accessibility: While positioned as a luxury brand, Poosh provides practical advice and affordable product options for a broad audience.
Story Behind the Brand: Poosh was inspired by Kourtney Kardashian’s interest in wellness and her desire to share her knowledge and experience with a broader audience. The brand’s name comes from her daughter Penelope’s nickname, Poosh, symbolising a personal touch. Kourtney wanted to create a space that provides women with honest advice on how to live their best lives. Poosh serves the niche of health-conscious consumers looking for credible, stylish, and practical advice on living a holistic and healthy lifestyle.
Key Personal Branding Lessons from the Kardashians
Each Kardashian-Jenner brand is a powerful extension of the individual behind it, reflecting their personal interests, values, and market niches. Whether it’s Kim’s inclusive approach to beauty and fashion, Kylie’s youth-centric cosmetic empire, Khloé’s body-positive clothing line, Kourtney’s wellness-driven lifestyle brand, Kendall’s luxury fashion influence, or Kris’s entrepreneurial mastermind persona, these brands offer valuable lessons in personal branding and business strategy. They’ve successfully turned their individual identities into thriving businesses, each serving distinct audiences with products and messages that resonate on a global scale.
It's easy to disregard the success of the Kardashian-Jenner brands, due to their huge following and already established wealth. The truth is that even the Kardashians wouldn't be able to launch just any old brand or product. There are so many products, niches, angles that wouldn't suit either all of certain members of the Kardashian family. The reason their brands work and make billions is because consumers get a feeling that they're buying a product that the founder knows something about.
Actionable Steps to Create and Manage Your Own Personal Brand
So how do get started with building your own Kardashian-inspired personal brand?
Define Your Unique Value Proposition:
Identify what makes you unique and how you want to be perceived. This could be a combination of your skills, experiences, and personal values.
Know Your Audience:
Understand who you want to reach with your personal brand. Tailor your messaging, content, and platforms to connect with this audience effectively.
Develop a Consistent Visual Identity: Create a cohesive visual brand, including your logo, colour scheme, and photography style, that reflects your personal brand across all platforms.
Craft Your Brand Story:
Share your journey, experiences, and the reasons behind your brand. A compelling story can help you connect emotionally with your audience.
Leverage Social Media:
Use social media platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter to share your expertise, engage with your audience, and build your brand’s presence.
Create Valuable Content: Regularly produce content that reflects your brand’s message and offers value to your audience, such as blog posts, videos, podcasts, or tutorials.
Engage and Network:
Build relationships with others in your industry, collaborate with influencers, and participate in relevant conversations to expand your brand’s reach.
Be Authentic and Transparent:
Authenticity is key to building trust. Be genuine in your communications and transparent about your journey and values.
Monitor and Adapt:
Regularly review how your brand is perceived and be willing to adapt your strategy as needed. Listen to feedback and be open to making changes that improve your brand.
Consistency is Key:
Maintain consistency in your messaging, content, and interactions to build a strong and reliable personal brand over time.
Building your personal brand shouldn't be overly challenging. Ideally, it is showing off the most authentic version of yourself. Sure, that might evolve slightly as your lifestyle, interests and tastes change over time but your personal brand should always be authentic to you as you are at the time.
