keys to branding

7/30/2019 Keys to Branding

1/5

Written by Jaraee Bryant

KEYS TOBRANDING

The key to having successful branding is having consistency and stability. We have seen many

examples of this in our society. However, branding theorists have opposed this idea, and believe

that changing in responded to society needs is the key to prominent brand identity.

A prime example of a music artist who has stayed consistent over the years with branding is Hip

Hop mogul Sean P. Diddy Combs. Combs has made his way down every avenue; venturing into

every area of the entertainment industry from radio to store fronts, and into the living rooms of

national and international homes. In a past interview with CNN, Combs discussed his branding

methods for his clothing line Sean John, which is valued at a half billion dollars (CNN 2010).

Combs claims that his success came from his idea of constructing a clothing line that is

characterized as timeless, sophisticated, and aspirational with an urban edge. He believes that

success relies on the product.

Even has a novice owner of Sean John, Combs wanted not only to sell a great product, but also to

break down color and stereotypical barriers. Combs, with a network of a whopping $45 Million


2/5

of a whopping $45 Million will tell you that he did just that with his Sean John clothing line. He created

what he likes to call Fashiontainment. He did exactly that by managing and organizing the logo on the

clothes. I wanted to make a products where you didnt see the logo or the branding. I have a concept

that if you see if 50 yards away, it should attract you. You should want to get closer to it. Once you look

at the label it should surprise you. Branding theorist Wally Olsin would agree. He believes that

managing and organizing your logo is substantial when branding a product. Olsin once stated, Identity

vehicles such as brand names, logos, symbols, characters, spokespeople, slogans, packages and buildings

should be managed to organize and strengthen the corporations expressions.

However, even though Combs concept of branding is one that has had great stability and decades of

success, it is still contrary to that of most branding theorists. Most branding theorist would argue that

the ability to adapt to ages and trends is what makes a brand see success.

Billboard Hot 100 male singer Chris Brown is the perfect example for this side of the argument. Brown

made his way on the scene at the young age of 16, and now at the age of 23 years old, he is said to be

worth $24 Million dollars (The Richest). Musically Brown is always switching his genre to please the

consumer. His past album Fortunate (released 29 June 2012) features Chris singing tunes of the R&B,

Pop, and Hip Hop genres. Browns goal was to reach a mass audience, however, this was a dangerous

approach to his branding. Csaba and Bengtsson stated in Rethinking identity in brand management that, If

the brand strategist allows consumers to define the brand, it is likely to lose its identity. Record sales

may suggest that this may be the case. Browns Fortunate album sells of 303,600 dont stand close to his

11.2 Million Twitter followers. Surprisingly, this album even had fewer sales than his Graffiti album,

which was release shortly after his public domestic violence incident with ex-girlfriend recording artist,


3/5

Rihanna.

After the poor album sales, Brown went to Twitter to express his views of the album sales. He

ranted, tweeting his followers #fortune step it up Team Breezy!! and #fortune block party,

which was a subliminal he used to said he was going to block members of #Team Breezy. Brown

even threaten to shut his loyal fan base #TeamBreezy down. Today, Brown still blames his lack of

success with Fortunate on his 11.2 Million followers for not buying his album.

To investigate Csaba and Bengtsson theory further, I researched another urban music artist who has

had a decline in her records sales, Nicki Minaj. Nicki Minaj is one who is not afraid of change. She

has changed everything from physical features (breast and butt alternations), to clothing and hair, to

now her music since the premiere of her first mixtape, from her label Young Money, Beam Me Up

Scotty. Many of Nickis fans have stated, Nicki has gone mainstream. There is a significant

difference from the music featured on Pink Friday (released on 19 November 2010), which has been

declared Platinum in the United States, compared Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (released on 3 April

2012) which has been declared Gold (RIAA).

Nickis release of Pink Fridays was slightly difference from Browns Fortunate situation, instead of

Nicki threatening to discontinue her relationship with her fans; her fans threaten to discontinue a

relationship with her. Many fans hit the walls of blog websites to give feedback for Minajs change

up. On Rap-Up.com user IzBeThuggin stated in a post Nicki is not rapper for the 100th time; she

claims she is but she is NOT!! The next Album is going to do just as the second one...because of the fact that she

switched up made her lose a lot of Fans, I am no fan of Nicki or people she is Beefing with!! I am a Fan of Hip-

hop and is crazy how she is getting by with this Queen Title.

Furthermore, poor album sales caused the Young Money record label to lower the cost of the album

and sale it for $10 each, along with a free t-shirt. I personally have also seen many disappointed fans


4/5

express their dislike for Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded through Twitter. In a recent radio interview,

Minaj stated that she is not a rapper, she but a brand. In fact, Minaj restates this new title in her new

single I AM YOUR LEADER, Im a brand bitch. Bitch Im a brand.

From these two arguments you can generate an opinion of the pros and cons of these approaches.

Even though, theorist would argue that having flexibility and the ability to adapt to ages would bring

success, this may not be the case with music. Music consumers have always geared towards

authenticity and consistency, this has been the case from 1970s heavy metal band Kiss to present

day Hip Hop mogul Sean P. Diddy Combs. As just explain in the body of the text, switching up on

fans can be crucial to a music artist career. Today, record labels should go after someone who

qualities of consistency and adaptability when choosing a music artist to manage or represent.


5/5

Works Citied

Celebrity Net Worth. "Chris Brown Net Worth." Celebrity Net Worth. TheRichest.org, 2012. Web. 20

Sept. 2012. .

Christian, Elizabeth Barfoot. Rock Brands: Selling Sound in a Media Saturated Culture. Lanham [Md.:

Lexington, 2011. Print.

Connector of the Day: Sean Combs. Dir. CNN. Perf. Sean Combs.Entmoney. CCN, 27 Sept. 2010. Web.

20 Sept. 2012. .

Forbes. "Sean "Diddy" Combs." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, May 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012.

.

Rhymes with Snitch. "Rhymes with Snitch | Entertainment News | Celebrity Gossip: Chris Brown

Shuts Down Team Breezy." Rhymes with Snitch | Entertainment News | Celebrity Gossip: Chris Brown Shuts

Down Team Breezy. Glam Entertainment, 27 July 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012.

.

RIAA. "Searchable Database." Http://www.riaa.com. RIAA, 2012. Web. 20 Sept. 2012.

.

keys to branding

Documents