In my last entry, I spoke about the brand strength of Apple. Loyal fans line up at store openings and fans clamor for the latest product. But even though Apple has built up a cult-like following, large corporations are not the only beneficiaries of devoted customers. Stephen Colbert recently made news when his fans nominated ‘Colbert’ to NASA for the new name of a room on an international space station. Stephen Colbert certainly has corporate backing, but by no means does he have the same coffers as Apple. Ultimately, Colbert has a strong brand in a unique character that allows him to access a group of fans that are just as eager to create some fun.

Super fan Todd Lockwood created this art for Stephen Colbert, an example of an effective personal brand

Developing a personal brand is not only creative, its necessary. Today’s economy shows a competitive market that is only getting more intense. If one is to succeed, one has to harness the power of individuality. Organizing a strong, positive impression will not only help in the short term, but a mature and developed brand will create brand loyalty. In the case of Stephen Colbert, he just has to harness his ‘truthiness’ (another Colbert PR success story unto itself!)

Tags: Colbert, apple, Brand, Cult