Crafting a Winning Personal and Business Brand in the Creative Industry: Six Key Takeaways From Bada Akintunde-Johnson’s Keynote Speech

As a creative, whether up-and-coming or a professional, your personal and business brand can make all the difference in terms of building a successful career, but you need to get it right. Here are some tips Paramount’s Country Manager, Dr. Bada Akintunde-Johnson, shared for crafting a strong personal and business brand that can set you apart in the creative industry in his keynote address at The Audacity:

 
Define your niche:

Defining your niche is all about magnifying your strengths and passions. To define your niche, you must determine what makes you unique in your field and use it to your advantage. For instance, if you consider yourself an Alté artiste, don’t hop on the bandwagon of Afropop just because it is trending. Find a producer who complements your style and gets to work on producing irresistible hits. It won’t take long before your work finds its right audience.
Remember, your brand should reflect who you are as a person or business so don’t try to be something you’re not. Embrace your unique personality and quirks and use them to your advantage in your branding.

 
Choose your messaging:

Whether as a person or a business, it is critical that you determine the message you mean to pass across through your brand. Think about your favourite artists, influencers, and brands, you will find something specific about them that stands out and resonates with you every time.  
Now, stop to consider how they ingrained themselves in your mind. How did they do it? Messaging. They consistently communicate a specific message across all touch-points that speaks to who they are, what they do, how they do it, and why they are unique.
Remember, branding isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about how you communicate with your customers. Establish a brand voice that is authentic, engaging, and consistent with your brand’s values. This voice should guide all your communications, from social media posts to customer service interactions.

This consistency must also go on to form the bedrock for your flexibility in this fast-paced industry. With ever-emerging trends and evolving audience preferences, your consistency in brand messaging is the anchor that will keep the ship of your brand grounded/stable in turbulent waters. However, excellence demands that you must find ways to allow your brand to remain relevant.

 
Establish a consistent visual identity:

Choose a colour scheme, typography, and other visual elements that reflect your brand and use them consistently across all your materials, from your website to your business cards.
In establishing yourself in a world that seems to have created everything possibly creative, you must start with an investment in creating a visual identity that represents your brand’s personality and values. This includes your logo, colour scheme, typography, and other design elements that make up your brand’s visual language. Make sure your visual identity is consistent across all platforms, from your website to your social media channels to your physical storefront or office. Be RECOGNISABLE in the industry.

 
Build a strong online presence:

Use social media and other online platforms to showcase your work and connect with others in your field. Make sure your website and social media profiles are up-to-date and reflect your personal and business brand.

 
Peddle your content:

What’s the point of a strong online presence if you can’t sell yourself? As creatives, we’re slowly learning that we can’t feed on the passion for the craft, it takes actual money to survive. That’s why social media is important. It gives you a platform to showcase your talents. Just ask Rema how it’s done.
As a business, peddling content is in building and boosting brand awareness. Invest in marketing and advertising to increase your brand’s visibility and reach new audiences. Also, consider partnering with influencers and stakeholders, hosting events, or running social media ads to get your brand in front of the right people.

 
Focus on providing value:

Lastly, whether you’re branding yourself or your business, focus on providing value to your clients and customers. Make sure your messaging emphasises how you can help solve their problems and meet their needs.
By following these tips, you can create a strong personal and business brand that helps you stand out in the competitive world of the creative industry.