Krissiebrown’s Weblog

Celebrities that Stand Out vs. the Ones that Don’t

This Thursday, E Entertainment posted an article about Justin Timberlake and his esteemed fashion designing capabilities. The article discussed Justin’s show that took place last night during New York Fashion Week. Apparently top fashion editors turned up for presentation and Justin received flattering reviews.

So, let’s take a step back. Wasn’t Justin that boy from the once-cool, boy band, N’Sync? How could this be the same person? How did Timberlake make such a success story for himself? He was once a singer and now he is a singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer, actor and now, a fashionista. I’ll tell you why, he created himself as a brand.

Photo by music-atlas.com

He is not the first celebrity to do this. Many others have branded themselves over the years and have branched out to multiple professions in order to distinguish themselves from other celebrities. Jennifer Lopez, Sean (P-Diddy) Combs, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Kim Kardashian and many more. These celebrities are the ones who have managed to stay in the spotlight and grow as the years pass by because they are the ones that prove they are not just good at one thing, but they are good at many things.

For example, take Kim Kardashian. She is known around the country as a sex symbol. She’s always spotted on the red carpet looking fabulous and sexy. Her long locks, her voice and her diva attitude all convey sex. She’s even posed for Playboy. So, she’s used this image to her advantage and has developed a clothing line and a fragrance. Her overall demeanor, as well as her advertisements, communicate to consumers that “if you wear my clothes or smell like me, you can be sexy too!” She has used her status symbol to sell products; she has used her image to become a brand herself.

Jennifer Lopez, in my opinion, is the most successful at using this strategy. She started off as a struggling back-up dancer and now look at her! Singer, actress, dancer, model, fashion designer, record producer are all professionals she can claim.

All these celebrities created an image. An image they used to brand and promote themselves to become successful in life, as well as esteemed in the public eye.

Photo by babble.com

Who knows what’s next for Justin Timberlake? I for one am interested to see what profession he dabbles into next.