The ART of Protecting Your Brand

Several days ago, Nelly’s tour bus was delayed in Texas by a search for drugs by local officials.  While this report alone is disturbing because we really don’t believe the hype, but also because we have to question if everything is as the media reports it.  Once the story is told, whether it is right or wrong, how does the story impact the artists’ reputation?

Source:  www.growmap.com

According to an article at LATimes.com, there have been a number of well-known artists like Fiona Apple, Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson, who have experienced similar issues in Sierra Blanca, Texas. Ironically, according to The Hollywood Reporter, this specific area is so heavily monitored because the goal is to prevent illegal aliens from crossing the boarder near El Paso. While Nelly was not arrested, the investigation revealed that someone close to him confessed to bringing the drugs onto the tour bus and sadly it was someone who Nelly later reported as someone who had been working on his team for a long time.  He indicated on Twitter that while he was sad about the outcome and the impact on this person’s life, that he was also extremely upset that someone close to him would cause him harm and jeopardize their safety.  It is understandable that this incident and the resulting negative press would be a cause for concern by the artist who up to this point, has not had a career troubled with legal issues.

Reading the reports of this reminded me of the important lessons we keep learning about building and protecting our brand.  First, by making sure we have the best product we can offer fans and supporters of our artistic endeavors, then securing good management and consulting so that we make good business decisions as it relates to our creative offerings.  Also important is our social media and marketing and making sure that we have control over the images and marketing that make it out into the universe.  Last, we have to examine a place that hits closer to home, as in Nelly’s situation.  As artists, it can be difficult as we make the transition from seedling artist, to developing even a local buzz, to analyze those closest to us.  Especially, if we elect to hire friends or family members to provide support to us in any professional capacity, we have to be certain that they can be a public extension of us without negative impact. 

As artists sometimes we might find it hard to make sure that the team we surround ourselves with is comprised of individuals we can trust and have our best interests at heart and are not trying to further their own careers with no concern for how we will be impacted.  It is imperative that we make sure to protect our brand, at all costs because it really is the outward representation of our most beautiful, creative, artistic selves.  And that is worth guarding with our lives. 

Those are my thoughts and I’d love to hear yours.  Until then, do you and creatively mind your business.