Beyond Branding: Justin Oberman Advocates for Personal Publicity

In a recent LinkedIn post, Justin Oberman challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding personal branding, proposing that mastering the art of personal publicity is a more effective strategy for individuals seeking recognition. Oberman argues that the modern interpretation of “personal brand” has become overly complicated and often misaligned with genuine self-expression.

Oberman begins by referencing the literal, historical meaning of a brand – a mark burned onto livestock to denote ownership. He draws a parallel to today’s professionals, suggesting they are often “trying to burn a mark into themselves” through the pressures of personal branding.

“The gurus and former ad agency branding experts will of course tell you it’s all about authenticity. They will tell you it’s all about showing up as your true self.”

The author points out the irony in the advice often given by branding experts, which, while advocating for authenticity, also imposes strictures like “a content pillar strategy and a consistent visual identity and posts three times a week.” He contends this leads to individuals being encouraged to “Be yourself. But be the marketable version of yourself,” which he finds only “half true.”

The Power of Publicity Over Branding

Oberman posits that before the concept of “personal branding” gained prominence, the more relevant term was “publicity,” or more specifically, “self-publicity.” He asserts that this older approach was highly effective in building recognition and influence.

“And it worked. It’s what turned a skinny kid from Hoboken into somebody your grandmother probably had very favorable opinions about.”

To illustrate his point, Oberman uses the example of Frank Sinatra. He questions whether Sinatra was concerned with content pillars or visual identity, suggesting instead that Sinatra “just looked pretty. And sang.” The crucial element, according to Oberman, was that “somebody else made sure the right people heard about it.” This highlights the role of strategic promotion and public relations, rather than solely self-curated branding, in achieving widespread recognition.

Distinguishing Branding from Publicity

Oberman emphasizes a fundamental difference between the two concepts. He suggests that branding oneself like a cow, with a pre-defined and potentially artificial mark, is distinct from getting oneself “talked about like a person.” The latter, he implies, allows for more genuine human connection and impact.

“It’s the difference between branding yourself like a cow and getting yourself talked about like a person.”

He announced that he would be further exploring these ideas during the Veblen Director Programme on April 28th in Singapore, with his talk titled: “You don’t need a personal brand. You just need to master the art of personal publicity.” This title itself mirrors the core message of his LinkedIn post, suggesting a focus on earned attention and reputation through strategic engagement rather than purely manufactured brand identity.