Personal Brand Names

Oprah is her own brand. She has the Oprah Winfrey Show, O the Oprah magazine, a radio show on XM satellite radio, Harpo Films, Oprah's Bookclub and now OWN the Oprah Winfrey Network on cable television. Even though Oprah has not put her name or image on food products, clothes, shoes or perfumes she is her own brand. Oprah's target market is women and if Oprah endorses a book or other products on her show women flock to the stores. Oprah can make or break a product. I think that is why a lot of companies want her endorsement as one of her favorite things. I can honestly say I too have been bitten by the Oprah bug. I subscribe to her magazine, watch or TIVO her show and I have also bought a couple of her favorite things, the inexpensive ones that is, and I have read some of the books that she endorsed. All of Oprah's brands are registered trademarks of Harpo, Inc.

Martha Stewart is another woman with her own brand. She has a TV show, Radio show, Martha Stewart Living magazine, furniture, crafts and she has the Martha Stewart Collection of bedding, pots and pans. Martha is another businesswoman with a strong target audience of women and can get them to the stores to buy the products.

Companies spend a lot of money to help define and establish their brand. Oprah said "my brand developed deliberately by accident. One choice at a time. No strategic planning. No marketing or development experts. Just daily choosing to do what felt like the right thing to do."