I know. I know. So you must be thinking this is another one of those posts where he just sings praises to JLO for the sake of being JLO. I mean you need not go any further than the search box above and type those three letters to know how much of this website has been consumed with the very important subject of who is La Lopez… and why I am one of her most …err… obsessed fans 🙂
But, this time, in this case, you’d actually be wrong. See while this post is about Ms. Jennifer Lopez. It is less about her the celebrity and diva per se, and much more about the rising empire that is and exists only because of one very singular and business savvy Latina. JLO of course.
And you see, the other thing is, in this new virtual world where so many of us are seeking to establish and leave our own virtual footprint no matter how small or large, usually the latter, it is impossible not to take note of someone – a Latina at that – who has managed to master personal branding and marketing so well. Social media after all is founded and exists almost solely based on the principles of personal branding. We could all argue, of course, that we don’t want that kind of success. That we do not want to be as calculated and strategic as Ms. Lopez about everything involving our name and likeness, but then again who the hell are we kidding?
There’s a reason brands and bloggers have meshed so well. It’s the same formula basically. They want our audience and we want the perks and credibility their partnership garners. Not to mention the compensation when we’re lucky. At least almost all of us do at one point or another. It’s basic marketing and public relations at its best. Because after all, let us not kid ourselves, social as much as any other industry is a business. A new and innovative one at that. And yes, the doors of opportunity are still kind of wide open for all of us.
That’s where La Lopez comes in! If there’s anyone who we can better learn from how to do marketing, pr and most importantly business, the right way, that would be her. Who else but Jenny from the Block owns clothing lines, accessory lines, perfume after perfume, a television and film production house, a major stake in new media companies, and now even a chain of wireless companies. Not to mention the amount of sponsorship deals that the woman has going at any given time. Seriously. Watch one of her videos and see how many product placements are not in there!
One could even pose the question, would JLO exist without the sponsorships or would the sponsorships exist without her? Although more than likely one would and could exist without the other. The true test then would be how successful either could be without the other.
But that’s the beauty of her entrepreneurial savvy. She does it so well that it almost seems her personal brand belongs right alongside any and all of the major brands she works with.
As someone who has done sponsorships, product reviews and placements only pretty poorly as a blogger, I can definitely admire JLO making it look so easy.
And already there are others following suit. At varying degrees, on their own terms, adjusting brands to their unique voices and spaces instead of the other way around. Dulce Candy and Crafty Chica are only a few of the names that immediately come to mind. They’re redefining what it is to work with a brand, because at the end of the day it is our own personal brand and reputation that is at stake. Not the multimillion dollar enterprises seeking to partner with the “right influencers” for their campaigns. Once those campaigns are over we still have to face you, our readers, and hope that you are still willing to give us the time of day.
It’s a tough business really. It’s so easy to lose yourself and your voice.
Here’s to remembering who we are and why we started doing what we love to begin with. The rest is all icing on the cake.
I’m trying to get back to square one myself.
