Part II – The Rock

Today, we’re continuing our dive into celebrity personal brands. We’ll be talking about Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and just a few things that make his brand stand out.

“The Rock” is actually a really interesting example of a brand pivoting.

What does brand pivoting mean?

It’s more common than you think. When a business or company is losing their audience or their profits have seen better days, they have two choices. They can accept that their brand isn’t doing well and let that be it. Or they can look around at what they can do to get in front of people again and decide to rebrand/reopen/pivot.

To do this, a business has to keep some key things in mind. Why are their current tactics failing? What does their audience want? Where are the trends at and where are they headed? 

If you’re familiar with Johnson’s career and are old enough to remember his beginnings, you might remember him not as an actor but as a professional wrestler (and before that, a football player). Now he’s renowned for being an award-winning actor, businessman, and producer. 

When you’re looking at Johnson’s situation from a branding standpoint, you’ll pick up on what he’s done to make the most of his transitions.

Confidence

He never had a lack of confidence in his initial branding and career but rather saw new doors opening. They weren’t doors to do other things in wrestling but they were still the best choice for his career. He’s now one of the most successful wrestlers turned actors – up there with John Cena.

Taking advantage of new opportunities

In this case, Dwayne saw an opportunity to expand upon his brand and career. He decided to get his foot in the door with acting while still stepping out on the ring until he left his gloves behind to work on acting full-time.

Connecting to people

There should be no doubt that this man knows how to work his social media. He’s got a dedicated fan base with a following of over 200 million. He loves his family deeply and often shares funny stories of his kids, singing on the ukulele with his mother, and gives us inside looks at daily life. Through his positive posts like this, you can really connect to who he is as a person. He’s not only sharing how to get big muscles – he’s giving deeper meaning to his platform, thus extending his reach. 

Dedication + commitment

You can see the physical dedication this man has given to his brand on his social media platforms when he shares his workout routine for the day, what he eats for breakfast, or how torn up his hands are from intense workouts. But that’s not the only place his dedication lies. He prides himself on being a man of his word. So when he commits to a project or person, he’s there, all in, until the end. This personality trait shines through what he does in his business endeavors. 

Doing what he’s passionate about

From the dedication to his work he’s known for, he’s been able to cultivate brand relationships and create products he could only do because of his forceful branding. From collaborating with Under Armour to create and design workout gear to starting his own production company, Seven Bucks Productions. He was also able to create an entire lifestyle brand, Project Rock.  It’s clear through his work where his passions lie, and he utilizes that connection daily. 

The takeaway

• Confidence really is key in almost everything you do. 

• All work and no play means your audience isn’t in the loop with your life. Show them something that resonates with them. 

• Capitalize on your strengths and run with it. 

• Use your passion to create, grow, and succeed. 

If you need any help with your personal branding or you feel like it just needs a complete rework, click the link “FREE CELEBRITY BRAND TRAINING” at the bottom of this page. You can also connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn below. Don’t forget – we also have a super amazing not-networking event called My Growth Tribe where like-minded industry experts cultivate connections. Find out when the next event is below!