Who are you trying to sell?

Just a girl. 

Just me.

Just Regular Decker.

I love branding-- powerful, community building, motivating branding. I get so excited to see an expert brand harness not only people's spending money, their loyalty and passion. Brands with a savvy hand turn what could have seemed like a sales pitch into a product that fits into your life as the newest "must-have". Some people might see this as masterful business trickery, but as I watch closely I believe this marketing skill is allowing a demand or need that is already present in sections of the passionate public to be filled. 

I am endlessly interested in branding.

Enter social media.

Lately, I've been thinking how much social media has put a spotlight on personal and company branding.

As a kid I was always told that I could be whoever I wanted to be. I had the possibilities laid out and as I grew into a teenager and adult I discovered how I could define my very own brand: Me. I got to be a band-geek, a lacrosse chick, a shy girl and for a couple years with black clothes and a lot of eyeliner, an emo punk. The more I learned about marketing the more intentionally I controlled what brand I was.

I thought that at some point all of the "defining times" I had as a teen would be behind me, but with any social media profile I choose to build I have new personal branding decisions to make. I've heard older generations refer to my generation as one that knows how to market themselves in every aspect of their lives. Pictures, posts, interests and friends are chosen purposefully to portray the desired image and membership in a certain style set.

Everyone finds a niche and markets what they love in a way that is picture perfect or artfully said in a quick witted 140 characters without trying to sell anything. All of this effort encourages the attention and involvement from members of the same circles for a social payoff.

This week I've had opportunity to look at some brands that are a little out of the center of my current personal interests. I only say that because I am not a guy. I dug a little into brands akin to Red Bull, Axe body-wash, Dove for men, Old-Spice or Under Armor. I flipped through pages and pages of social media branches to each of these and other brands. Each and every one of these brands had a foothold in some facet of social media and I recognized the same careful attention to appealing to their niche. Only difference is they are getting paid to do it!

This parallel makes me wonder if it's healthy for individuals to be marketing themselves in the same way companies themselves are to harness the ever evasive market share.

Who are we trying to sell?