Some CEOs Advertise the 'Me' Brand - With Limited Success†

Wall Street Journal, July 16, 2007 — Companies budget large amounts of money to develop brands that stir excitement and cement loyalty from customers. "Fly the Friendly Skies" still evokes United Airlines and an era of hassle-free travel. The "snap, crackle, pop" of Kellogg's Rice Krispies brand conjures up for many consumers an image of a cereal that's fun for kids.

Now, some top executives are branding themselves as distinctly as they brand their companies' products

One-man Brands

Through innovative marketing and sheer persistence, these entrepreneurs have become business icons. Their next move? Telling you how they did it.

Business 2.0, June 22, 2007 — Who: Rachael Ray

Brand identity: Gourmet made easy

Brand extensions: Four Food Network shows; The Rachael Ray Show; five product partnerships; 16 cookbooks; Everyday With Rachael Ray magazine

Products let consumers send their own messages

We're all about us.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 25, 2007 — We like to chronicle our lives on blogs, set our cell phones to ring with our favorite songs and pull our Kleenex from a box we designed. That's right. A trend that started only with high-end luxury items has trickled down to everyday products. We can personalize all sorts of things, including tissues, sneakers, ketchup and candy.

You're Fired. Now What?

Forbes, February 5, 2007 — Kevin Rollins can't be feeling good about himself. After two years at the helm of PC maker Dell, he resigned last week, and founder Michael Dell took the CEO job. Rollins' story is an old one: The founding entrepreneur retires, and the new chief executive just can't make the company work. Robert Nardelli, the recently-ousted chief of Home Depot, also struggled when he took over from the company's co-founder, Arthur Blank, in late 2000.