Finance's golden arches

I've been doing a bit of reading, and a lot of thinking. Why is it that whenever you think of coffee, the Starbucks logo pops into your mind? And why do burgers conjure up images of the golden arches? After all, my corner fish and chips shop does burgers - and coffees, too, for that matter - so howcome I don't think of Marge and Ted who run it? The answer lies in one word: marketing. Companies around the globe, especially the ones that pop into our heads every time we think of a cola, a burger or listen to our iPods, have spent billions of $$$ to "own" a phrase, or a word, or being associated with a product or experience.

What if that same concept was translated to you as a person? What if you - if we all - spent time thinking of the word or phrase we want to be associated with and applied it to ourselves? If we marketed ourselves at work as being reliable, or intuitive, or creative, or a straight-shooter? Or in social circumstances we could get our friends to see us as the funny one, the listener, the one with the nose ring, etc., etc., the list goes on?

Sound like nonsense? Well, bear with me for just a moment... I was reading "Who Stole My Mojo?", a book by Gary Bertwistle, and he claims there are heaps of benefits of thinking of yourself as a brand and marketing yourself the right way. Whilst I'm not generally a fan of caring what others think, to the extent it helps you reach your goal - be it that next promotion, the girl in the coffee shop, or more interesting projects - then how can you not?

You can read more about Gary Bertwistle's book here, while I pursue my goal of being the golden arches of finance...

Best of luck!

Image from www.freefoto.com