There are a LOT of factors involved in an individual being a brand. Yes, individuals can be a brand. First, a brand is a name by which we recognise a company, product/service etc. Brand is what distinguishes a similar genre of product by different companies. Different brands have different personalities too, like for example: Apple Inc. for Class, Peter England for Sophistication, Raymonds for Elegance and so on. So the idea of individuals being brands is much like "self-marketing".
Say, for example - Amitabh Bachhan. He is a superb marketer in my opinion. He understands the importance of using language. He may not be a soft spoken individual in his real life, but onscreen, he knows how to stay in the media & public and how to build an image precisely because he is tactful in his speech & has a way with words. Now owing to it, marketers know that when AB will speak, everyone will listen because the art he has mastered with language garners much love & admiration from people. Thus, you see Mr. Amitabh Bachhan in ads related to "Polio droplets" etc.
Similarly, Mr. Aamir Khan who is very popularly known as the "Perfectionist". He again is a great marketer. Because he is so known for looking into details of things like a scalpel like precision, that anything which bears an Aamir Khan's name results into a sure-fire success. Thus, millions throng the cinema halls when a Mr. Khan's movie releases. You can also reason out, why "Satyamev Jayate" on Star Plus turned into a ground breaking show and was an instant hit amongst people of India last yr. That is why he is also chosen for "Atithi Devo Bhava" commercials. Again, it is because "where there is Aamir, that thing is surely worthy of attention."
These are individuals who have marketed themselves/their particular onscreen trait profusely and thus, overtime those traits like language for Big B and perfectionism for AK became synonymous with their names. Consequently, when they endorse something similar to their personality (the one which we see), consumers identify those brands with those people too because already brands mean something meaningful or of value to people.
Identities as individuals can be manipulated and anyway its a personal factor for what is portrayed onscreen may not be true. However, identity as brands is much like what we see of them onscreen, in media & public etc. Just like brands are marketed & advertised in a particular way, these individuals market themselves/some aspect of themselves/their onscreen identity and establish themselves for something as a brand. (Like for products, a particular brand is known for something). Just like brands have images, individuals create an image for themselves amongst people.
Certainly someone like Dr. OZ has high market value, he can earn Millions from associating how name with a product. Tiger Woods discovered how letting too much of your personal details get into the public eye can damage the brand value.
Not really.
There are much more individuals than brands.
It's questionable.
Base it on relativity.
No, I don't think so because the manufacturer is one & the same in every case. Human beings may be of different models depending on race, area, language etc but certainly not the religion.
Yes. Just like Opra, trusted by viewers, stuff like that.
I think there's no difference, as long as they maintain consistency.
Yess... when they make a significant contribution to the society............
If yes what is the difference in their identities as individuals and brands ?
