Master of Branding
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
As journalism students, we’ve heard a lot of the term “branding” in class, in our books, and in our research. There is one person who has recently used the media to become a one-woman national media empire.
After the 2008 elections, she chose not to return to Alaska to finish out her term as governor. While many would assume this would hurt her aspirations, it has actually helped. She has used the media to her advantage and is now her own business.
She recently debuted as the host of “Real American Stories” on Fox News four times a year, promising that it would “reaffirm our pioneering spirit and unmatched generosity, here and around the world.” She was paid a $1.25 million retainer for her book, “Going Rogue,” which has sold 2.2 million copies. Another book is tentatively scheduled for this fall. She also has an eight-part series on TLC called “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” coming soon.
Is she really that popular? Her Facebook page has 1.5 million fans. When she did her first paid appearance as a commentator on “The O’Reilly Factor,” it had an extra one million viewers. Oprah Winfrey’s show achieved the biggest ratings in two years when she appeared.
So what has she done? She has stayed true to her version of America. It is full of plain folks spending a lot of time overcoming a great deal, including a government that she argues often intends to do more harm than good. She’s about “everyday people and the values American’s hold so dear,” she stated on Facebook.
Whatever she is doing, whether the media is supportive or not, she is definitely branding herself into the career and persona she wants to be.
Read more...
After the 2008 elections, she chose not to return to Alaska to finish out her term as governor. While many would assume this would hurt her aspirations, it has actually helped. She has used the media to her advantage and is now her own business.
She recently debuted as the host of “Real American Stories” on Fox News four times a year, promising that it would “reaffirm our pioneering spirit and unmatched generosity, here and around the world.” She was paid a $1.25 million retainer for her book, “Going Rogue,” which has sold 2.2 million copies. Another book is tentatively scheduled for this fall. She also has an eight-part series on TLC called “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” coming soon.
Is she really that popular? Her Facebook page has 1.5 million fans. When she did her first paid appearance as a commentator on “The O’Reilly Factor,” it had an extra one million viewers. Oprah Winfrey’s show achieved the biggest ratings in two years when she appeared.
So what has she done? She has stayed true to her version of America. It is full of plain folks spending a lot of time overcoming a great deal, including a government that she argues often intends to do more harm than good. She’s about “everyday people and the values American’s hold so dear,” she stated on Facebook.
Whatever she is doing, whether the media is supportive or not, she is definitely branding herself into the career and persona she wants to be.
