Brand You: What’s Your Story?

I have a close friend who hates it whenever I say the phrase “Is that on-brand for you?” He’ll shoot back, “People are not brands” and then we banter back and forth as if we are in a romantic comedy where the two leads bicker but end up madly in love in the end.

Cute as that exchange may be. I think my friend is dead wrong. Or maybe my phrasing is. You may not be Madonna or Beyonce, but you have a brand.

My career began in advertising; I sold Broadway shows. My job was straightforward, convince people to buy tickets to see gorgeous art, on-stage 8 times a week. But what I learned is that it’s not “the music”, or “the star” or even “the poster” that is the reason people buy tickets; to sell a show you must sell a story.

“What’s the show about?’ is the question consumers most often ask before buying a ticket. If you don’t have the answer to that question, your campaign is dead in the water.

People are the same way. Whenever I meet someone I think, “What’s their story?” or if I run into someone in day-to-day life, or observe other people’s relationships, I think “There’s a story there.”

To be fair, I am a writer. It’s my instinct to look for stories and to tell them. We live in an age where we all seem to send a daily press release about our lives and put it out into the world, and — whether we realize it or not — the second we get up and get dressed to go out every morning, we have a new opportunity to tell our story.

I have a list on my phone called “My Look”: I have cultivated it since I was 14. I was starting at a new school and I wanted to look good. I carefully decided what my “look” would be: black Mary Janes, black tights, pearl earrings, A-line skirts and dresses, dark jeans, blazers, barely any make-up but always lip stick. Guess what? I’m 39. I’m wearing the same outfits today. When I shop, I literally refer to this list, like I came with brand guidelines. Mainly I think, “Would Katherine Hepburn wear this? Cool. Put it in the cart.”

That comes with its own sense of insecurity. Do I look right for this job? For this company? And if you need to alter your outfits to get the job just make sure you don’t forget who you are. Felicia, a mentee of mine, has a distinctive “look” and it’s youthful and fun. It may not be right for everything, but it — and she — are distinctly “Felicia” and that should never change.

A brand has a vibe. It’s like those Apple commercials that play catchy music while showcasing the new i-Phone, you get the vibe that this phone is “hip” and “cool”. It’s just a phone, but we buy into it. Here’s the fun part of building your brand. It’s like making a Spotify playlist that is only filled with songs you like (You may have some Spice Girls or Toto in there, I won’t tell). The “vibe” you create is about what you honestly, truly like.

Let’s discuss the Dorothy Parker hat. I have a ton. To my husband’s consternation, I buy one every year. I truly love the fashion of the 1920’s and 40’s. I love Fitzgerald (both F. Scott and Ella) and Dorothy Parker. I like the bits of New York City that look like they haven’t changed in decades even if they’ve been through a million tweaks over the years: Sardi’s, The Met Museum, Grand Central Station. I like Fred Astaire movies and the romantic way all of this makes you look at the world. I’m a “throwback” kind of dame.

What I truly love is so transparent to the people I meet, as my friends get to know me, they know when they find a place or a thing that is very “Vic”. For example, I did receive a slew of messages and calls demanding I go see “La La Land” and yes, you better believe I am watching the new Zelda Fitzgerald mini-series on Amazon and yes sir, The Rose Club at the Plaza is one of my favorite places on earth.

But a brand is more than a look and a vibe, it’s a feeling. How did I want to make people feel? Well, I wanted to make people feel good. Who wouldn’t?

Someone once said to me, “You know why people loved Jackie O? Because when she would talk to you, she made you feel like you were the only person in the room.” I strive to be more like that every day.

When you go through your day, think about how you want to make others feel. They will remember that more than they ever remember one of your outfits or favorite books.

I cannot recall a single piece of clothing my voice teacher wore in college, but damn I remember Ida Faiella. She was a true opera diva. But she could walk into a room and with a look, you would respect her and want to please her. She pushed me hard and I am endlessly grateful. I’m still beating myself up over how I never listened to her like I should have. But whenever I get up in front of a room to speak I think, “Posture, Victoria. Demand attention and move this room with your emotions through your voice”.

You have established: your look, your vibe, your feeling. Now what?

Well, you just wake up every day and try to be your best self. You realize your friend was right and maybe a person can’t be a brand, but everyone has a narrative. We tell our story every day. We can always change our story and refine our brand. Life isn’t over until we die.

The next time you stop and ask the universe “Who am I?”, first ask yourself, what’s the next chapter of my story. Be authentically yourself and the people who need to buy into you will. And as for the others, you may make you feel like you are less than you are, well maybe they aren’t “on brand” for your life anyway.