Whether we like it or not, we live in a world of branding. From Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, iPhones, Jay Z and Beyoncé, everyone has a brand. Some brands are hidden not breaking the light of day. Others brands are in your face daily. We buy and adore brands. Mobile phones are purchased because of branding – how easily it operates, which has the most features and what is the largest screen size. Personal branding is similar to our mobile devices because of the comfort that it gives us and how it makes us feel good.
Teenagers today are a brand of itself. Whether it’s Twitter, Whats App, Snapchat or Instagram, they are being branded. Their behavior brands them by what they say and do. They are branded each day by their teachers, grades, family members, friends, coaches, and counselors. If a student produces either straight A’s or B’s in their courses, they will be looked upon positively by others. On the other hand, if a student produces below average grades and don’t turn in their homework and are late to class, their brand will take a nose dive like the stock market a couple of years ago. Parents help your teenagers understand that people get better treatment based on their brand. It is a given fact that people promote people they like. Music artists collaborate with each other to sell more records. Star basketball players are creating super teams to win championships and companies rush to stars that have the most followers in social media to sell their product. Like it or not, everything that we do or say is a brand. The next time your teenager is in the heat of a battle, tell them to think about the consequences and inform them how others are watching and branding them. Their character, attitude, and decision making brand will outlast them for years to come.