Beyoncé is without a doubt one of the biggest stars of today. Besides being a public figure and musical superstar, Beyoncé is a prime example of how to brand for companies and personal brands. Although her musical talents is what she is known for, she definitely knows how to keep up a good brand image. By being authentic, being consistent, and being honest when controversy arises, Beyoncé has remained on top of the game in everything she does.
When Bey launched her Ivy Park campaign she made a personal connection with her audience by telling a story. She released a video that gave viewers a look into where she comes from and why she released the workout clothing line. She proved that she has a connection with the product she wants to sell. This is a great example for brands to use because storytelling shows vulnerability and authenticity. Revealing the reason behind a brand makes people feel more a connection with the brand, and people can appreciate the brand more knowing the reason behind it.
Queen Bey is the queen of surprises, but she balances her surprises with consistency. She changed the game of album releases when she released her 2013 self-titled album. What I mean by balancing surprise with consistency is that she stays under the radar as much as she can, but just before anyone may be getting bored with her [which is impossible for her BeyHive] she does something shocking that people talk about and love; for example, releasing her ‘Lemonade’ album with a full movie-like visual. Pulling stunts like this would be difficult for small brands, but big brands could use this strategy to keep people interested in their brand. What Beyoncé does could be difficult to implement into branding for some, so it is important for brands to look at this method and put in time, do some research, and come up with a strategy that works for their brand. She continues to have a solid brand, and how she remains consistent is something other brands can look at to use for a successful branding strategy.
Controversy comes with being famous. It is like a package deal. Beyoncé is able to handle the controversy well, and she addresses it through her music. Her music is a part of her brand, and she’s able to be honest in her music and address or shutdown and rumors that may come her way. She isn’t really a person who does interviews, so she let’s people into her life through music, and she shares personal moment through documentaries, photos and old home videos, Lemonade was her most vulnerable album to date. Brands need to be open about mistakes in order to be trusted. People appreciate honesty more than trying to hide.
Beyoncé didn’t build her brand in one day. It definitely takes work to build a brand that is authentic, consistent, and honest. To become a solid brand like the one she has built it will take time, strategy and research. Being aware of the success of a hard working superstar such as Beyoncé can help generate ideas toward making a personal or business brand better.
Learn more about interactive storytelling such as Beyoncé has used.