Written on the 12 September 2011 by Written by Jacyline Khor
Have you ever wondered how Melanie Brown became famous? While some might refer to her as a “television star” or “Scary Spice,” she is an archetypical personal brand. Melanie Brown, best known to the public as Mel B of Spice Girls, is a chart-topping musical artist, actress, television personality and groundbreaking entrepreneur. Her vast and ever-expanding accomplishments tell us that she has hardly ever been shy.
Behind every successful person, there is a well-crafted personal brand. Mel B’s global success does not come from nature, yet it all started from being herself and understanding the principles of designing your unique personal brand. The Spice Girls achieved something that is rarely seen, each member of the band was able to become a celebrity in their own right because each protrayed a uniquely individual style and personal brand.
Starting from the mid of 90s, Mel B became one of the members of the Spice Girls with the release of "Wannabe". The Spice Girls became the fastest selling British band since The Beatles when they released their album, “Spice”, which till date, remains the best-selling album by a female group in history. As part of the world-conquering Spice Girls, they have successfully sold over $55 million worldwide in record sales. Besides, Spice Girls also racked up a Guinness Book of World Records status for “Most No. 1 Entries in the UK Charts” and “Most Consecutive No. 1’s for a New Act.”
Unfortunately, in December 2000, the group unofficially announced that they were beginning an indefinite hiatus. In early 2001 they officially announced they were breaking up. As part of Spice Girls, Mel B was strained to begin her solo career. However, this uncertainty did not stop her from pursuing her dream of wanting to be under the spotlight. She captured most of the opportunities that has helped in her music career. She expressed her identity through her virgin music album “Hot”, which hit half a million sales record. As the audience would expect, nothing held back, nothing missing, nothing hidden and nothing short of great, her first solo album tells you everything about Melanie B! As she says, "it is an extension of my character, loud, proud and right upfront.”
Since then, Mel B has had a successful solo career releasing three albums, and has moved into the television world, starring on the US Dancing With The Stars. Besides, Mel B also launched her trademark style with a clothing brand, Catty Couture, which includes body-hugging designs and plenty of animal print. Last year, Mel B launched her own reality show, Mel B: It's A Scary World, which brings her fans into her real life, by getting know the real her. Recently, Mel B replaced Kyle Sandilands as a judge on The X Factor and promises to be just as outspoken.
She is very genuine, truly an authentic brand because she knows who she is, knows how to externalise it visually to her target audience and comes across as exactly who she is and that sells.
A successful personal branding is all about having confidence about who we are as a personal brand and deliver our strengths as value to our target audience. Mel B’s career truly inspires people to leave behind their inhibition and deal with anything that come their way. She says, “It’s all about feeling confident, listening to yourself, trusting yourself and being in your own power. And that’s what I’m all about.”
If today, you are looking for you own personal branding. You may think that you don’t look like Mel B or have a similar booming career.
Yet, the good news is you are wrong! You don’t have to be like her, you just have to know your personal brand, be confident with that, understand who your target audience is and deliver the values based on your genuine integrity.
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Brand Yourself! And Jump the Q! Your personal brand should reflect your abilities and potential. Rachel Quilty, Personal Brand Strategist, known as ‘the Authority’ on personal branding and author of must- have book ‘Brand Yourself’. Go to http://www.JumptheQ.com.au for FREE strategic branding tips. Rachel encourages Jump the Q clients to think strategically when developing a personal brand to get that job offer, gain that promotion or win that client.
Jump the Q assists you to strategically and systematically leverage your professional profile and build your personal brand to become the authority in your industry. Get your free personal branding tactics and tips at http://www.brandyourselfblueprint.com
We assist you to develop your Personal Brand Strategy by:
- Discovering your purpose.
- Designing your best personal brand.
- Devising a personal marketing plan.
- Developing your Signature Brand.
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