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“Martha’s Turnaround”
By Catherine Kaputa, founder of SelfBrand (www.selfbrand), a brand strategy company that works with people, products and companies. Catherine’s new book, U R A BRAND, will be published by Davies Black Publishing in February, 2006.
It began with a blue poncho. It was the indelible image of Martha Stewart being released from prison. The poncho was a hand-made gift from a fellow prisoner and Martha wore it both for a dramatic exit out of the slammer and to the office on her first day back, tossing off the line, “We’re looking for the pattern to bring it out.”
The poncho was a brilliant branding device because it enabled her to convey the right messages for rebranding herself. The image of Martha and her poncho said:
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Martha is back on top of her game |
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Martha made lemonade out of lemons |
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Martha bonded with her fellow prisoners |
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Watch out for Martha’s second act |
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Martha is stronger because of this experience |
Beginning with her poncho, Martha took back control of her brand message. Remember how Martha looked in the months leading up to her conviction? In a word, guilty. She was hiding from the press, often caught looking unglamorous and shielding her face.
Now, Martha is back on top of her game with her image and a host of projects: a new reality television show, weekly television program and 24-hour radio program.
Visuals “speak” a potent language. Your visual image can convey whether people will perceive you as a winner or a loser, guilty or not guilty, cheap or expensive, likeable or not. That’s why branders pay such attention to packaging and the look of a brand. How something looks is often the point of first impact and lasting impact for a brand, be it a person, a company or a product. As the Chinese expression goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Make sure your visual identity speaks the right language to move your brand forward and connect with your target audience.
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