Choose your brand and change your fortunes

The observer newspaper today carried an interesting article that comments on the rapid and rent ascendancy of Ed Milliband's brand or stock value. It was only two weeks ago that he was being chastised by the press, the public and his own party. The comments were broadly up your game or get up and go!

All of a sun den he has jumped seven points in the polls and he is on the A list again. The question for me is why did this happen. Is just plan lucky in that Cameron was blind sided and too slow to understand the shadow issues - or did something change inside Ed. Did he choose to be a winner and not choose to be a loser.


The observer notes " he has done what the Times demanded and raised his game – thanks to his swift and firm response to the News International crisis. Suddenly, he is in the ascendancy, having identified the mood of public outrage over phone hacking, and led the attacks on the Murdoch empire. By contrast, Cameron, whose close links to "team Murdoch" have left him exposed to heavy criticism, is looking shakier than at any time in his premiership

I wonder what choices did he make to bring about this change? The observer again notes that "The Labour leader sounded and looked different to a few weeks before; more relaxed and far more confident. Gone were the haunted looks of early summer and the ponderous, cautious sentences that made interviews with him such hard work. Instead, he spoke from the heart with passion and conviction, spurred on by a sense of genuine anger"

In my Personal Networking book I highlight that managing brand is more than usher extrinsic PR statement and new plastic ties. It has to come from an intrinsic sense of personal sincerity and a belief that is underpinned by a passion. Once the head and heart are engaged then the hand or new behaviours will be ready to kick in. Not as false mantras to be repeated with faced with questions form the press - rather as the observer notes - the capacity t speak from the heart and with passion and conviction.

I believe that Ed made a choice to win and not be a loser. I believe he made this choice based upon some core values as opposed to ruthless opportunism. If so then maybe this is why his brand value has raced ahead at such a pace.

The question posed in the Personal Networking book is what have you done to raise your brand value today. And the first choice might be to choose to win and not choose to lose! Choose to align and seek congruence inn how you think, feel and behave. Once these three are in harmony then the total force and brand presence will generally exceed the sum of the parts.

Good luck

Ref observer newspaper - 17 July 2011