On Wednesday, Tom Peters’ website featured a reference to Catherine Kaputa, a branding specialist and author of U R a Brand. The title and concept seem to fall in line with Tom Peters’ “Brand You” philosophy. Thanks to some comments on TP’s website, I did a double-take at the underpinnings of U R a Brand… and I agree with the detractors. One commenter found this statement disturbing:

“…As in product branding, the most important thing is not what you say about yourself, but what others say about you. You need to think not in terms of what you want to say, but what the market wants. Not what you want to do, but the reaction you want to get from customers “…
-From Catherine Kaputa’s website, referenced by onehandclapping on tompeters.com blog

Another commentor defended Kaputa’s declaration:

“Communicating not only what you are, but also, what do you aspire to be/ want to be!”
-Shaw, comment on tompeters.com blog

I think we’re treading on dangerous waters here. While Catherine’s book/website/services may contain helpful information and good tips, this statement by Shah encapsulates where I believe Catherine errs.

I could be wrong. It may just be a case of unfortunate wording, but it seems to permeate much of what I’ve read on her website. Reference Onehand’s pull quote. That’s the type of thinking that leads people to attempt being something other than themselves.

This is why I reference Now Discover Your Strengths, YourOneDegree, and The Gift of Being Yourself when I present on personal brands (as I do in my presentation of The Secret, the Shell, and the Flash in a Pan).

To be fair, I have not read Catherine’s book. The book may recommending individuals to communicate an authentic brand in a way that is relevant to what others talk about and what markets want. Still, I believe this is an important point to make: Your personal brand should not conflict with the brand of person you truly are.