Okay, Kids, Here’s the Blueprint for Selling Cookies, Sex and Sweat

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses how the last couple of decades have become the age of branding, as exemplified by the lives and careers of David Liederman, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, and Richard Simmons, who all died within eight days of each other. It explores how these individuals were able to create and market a product tied to themselves, leveraging the power of personal branding in the age of television, the internet, and social media.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Age of Branding

1. What are the key points made about the age of branding?

• The article suggests that the last couple of decades have become the "age of branding", where individuals can create and market a product tied to themselves.
• This is not a new concept, as exemplified by Thomas Edison's ventures, but the advent of television, the internet, and social media has given personal branding a "rocket-powered engine".
• Skilled branders can now take established products and make them feel fresh and new simply because of who is promoting them.

2. How did the three individuals discussed in the article exemplify the value of personal branding?

• David Liederman, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, and Richard Simmons all exemplified the power of personal branding, as they were able to create and market products tied to themselves.
• Liederman sold chocolate chip cookies, Westheimer sold the idea of openly discussing sex, and Simmons sold the idea that losing weight doesn't have to be a chore.

3. What are the potential downsides of personal branding highlighted in the article?

• The article suggests that even though personal branding can be successful, it can also have a "burdensome side", as exemplified by Liederman and Simmons.
• Simmons found that even after stepping back from active promotion, he remained a "saleable gossip column subject", and he found some items offensive enough to file lawsuits.

[02] The Future of Branding

1. What does the article suggest about the future of branding?

• The article states that as we "barrel forward in the age of influencers, branding will become more alluring, more intense and sometimes more harrowing".
• It suggests that for every three brands that make it, there may be three hundred thousand that never get past family and friends.

2. What key lessons can be learned from the experiences of Liederman, Westheimer, and Simmons?

• The article suggests that their experiences are "instructive" as we move forward in the age of influencers and personal branding.
• It highlights the potential both for success and for the "burdensome side" of personal branding, which will become more prevalent in the future.