move into action. “Let’s go,” she said to her two male minders, a smile on her freshly-frosted lips: the Paris Hilton parade was in play.
She flipped down her sunglasses, tossed back her hair, squared up her shoulders and began pushing her luggage trolley (yes, she pushed her own) towards the entrance.
From there, my recall works in slow motion. Paris Hilton, one of the world's biggest walking brands, strode elegantly forward into the foyer of Sydney Airport with the grace of a runway model and the radiance of a summer’s day.
Every move, every tilt of her head was perfect for the camera; however, she appeared natural, authentic, just a girl, going about her business at a busy airport.
The media pack that was grumpy, aggressive, and scornful before her arrival seemed as enthralled as I was. A gracious calm had descended on the media group. There was little jostling for position, no rude questions, or heckling. Paris gave each cameraman what they needed. Then she left.
The show was over in minutes. Paris had given us a photo opportunity, nothing more. No one complained. To my amazement, the camera crews and journalists simply just packed up their equipment, and headed back to the office in an orderly manner.
They say those who have mastered a craft pull off spectacular acts without appearing to exude much effort. For a PR specialist who had built a career working with corporate executives, observing Paris in motion with the media was like viewing high art.
And why wouldn’t it be? It was the media that allowed her to build her brand in the first place and that kept her employed. It was her job to keep them happy, with a subtle game of cat and mouse, and not being too available, or too inaccessible.
Paris Hilton may have come from a wealthy family, but she set out with great intention to carve a name and a space for herself in the public mind—and she has generated significant independent income from that opportunity. Long before social media influencers arrived on the scene, Paris was one of the first celebrities to make money simply from making appearances—literally, from just being visible.
As superficial as that may seem, that was and is the Paris Hilton phenomenon. Hers was, and is, a highly-successful personal brand built with both focus and skill.
Many others have followed in her footsteps, applying her formula - now with the advantage of social media. The same year I met Paris, the now ubiquitous Kim Kardashian, often cited as being “the most famous person (for being famous) in the world,” had tagged along as a little-known sidekick to whom Paris lent her profile in numerous, joint photo opportunities.
What can we learn from Paris? That intention, focus, and confidence are some of our most important assets when it comes to the business of building a personal brand.
As a society, celebrity both fascinates and magnetises us. High-profile people often serve to magnify our secret hopes (or fears) of being recognised for our talents and achievements, or of attracting wealth, social status, or public adoration.
Celebrities don’t just get personal brand—they survive and thrive on it. In many ways, they created the concept.
We may not agree with all their life values, and we could debate the authenticity of some, but there's no denying their courage and confidence.
Celebrities and high-profile influencers are our modern-day superheroes. Part of their power lies in their courage to stand in the spotlight and to be seen, despite their human flaws. In contrast, it’s the fear of visibility, or a lack of confidence, that is the single barrier that holds many people back from greatness.
I have worked with (and helped to create) hundreds of celebrities over my years in public relations and have observed, firsthand, some of the best and worst examples of personal brands in action.
Everyone has their own motivation for desiring a personal profile, and only you can determine the focus and authenticity of your message when you get into the spotlight.
This book is about helping you to achieve your personal profile brand in the most powerful way possible. Doing so will require a clear intention and commitment as well the willingness to build new skills.
Richard Branson - the walking business brand
On another occasion, I was invited to work with another master of personal branding—Sir Richard Branson. Despite the fact that Branson leads a serious, business brand, he’s used his personal profile to lend support to his business ventures and social causes.
More recently, his efforts have been focused on making space travel accessible to everyday, well, wealthy everyday people. No doubt that is his long-held dream. Like many of his ventures, it ultimately has the power to change the lives of millions, if not billions of people.
Doesn’t everyone want to fulfil their dreams? Is there any one of us who does not secretly dream that they could impact the lives of millions of people? Is there any greater testament to the power of a personal brand?
Seeing Branson at work in person, I was struck by how much influence his personal brand had over the business fortunes of his own ventures as well as those of others. Business and brand fortunes rose and fell with a shake or nod of his head or thirty minutes of his time. Arguably, his personal brand must rival the value of his business brands in prominence, thus giving him the ultimate flexibility in where and how he applies his focus.
Over the course of a week working with his team, I observed him lend media support to several business interests and one non-profit cause he was connected with. No matter how aggressive the media conversation became, the media ultimately surrendered to his viewpoint and the fortunes of the entities he supported rose and fell accordingly.
On a separate occasion, I saw Paris and Branson greet each other in a restaurant, and witnessed a moment of mutual respect. Perhaps, in Paris Hilton, Richard Branson had met his personal brand equal!
Like them or loathe them, these two individuals are pioneers of modern personal branding.
The common factor for both of them is the intention with which they set out to create a personal brand, using it to serve their personal interests. In Branson’s case, it was to build his business empire and assist social causes. For Paris, it was allowing her to generate the lifestyle she desired. Perhaps, for both of them, there is an element of also doing it for the hell of it—just because they can. And thank goodness they did because they have stretched the paradigm of what is possible for everyone else in the process.
However, this book isn’t written for celebrities (although its principles equally apply). Instead, it is for everyday people who want or need to grow their profile.
While my aim is to show you that stepping out of the shadows and into the spotlight is simpler than you think, this is not for the fainthearted. You need to want to be seen. In the case of both Paris and Branson, they built their profile around a powerful desire to be both visible and influential, with a tenacious commitment to that cause. And despite the fact that in Branson’s case he has also built a colossal, corporate brand and business empire, neither of them hides behind or are reliant on a corporate brand to keep their personal brand alive.
Building an influential profile requires a degree of commitment to your own personal brand, despite what is happening more broadly in your career, and no matter how alluring the possibilities are with respect to the brand of the company you currently work for. By commitment, I am not just talking about
