Building A Personal Brand As A CEO: A Case Study Of Vivy Yusof, The Cofounder Of FashionValet And The DUCk Group

Abstract

Social media has become a pivotal platform for CEOs to craft their image and establish a robust personal brand, both for themselves and their companies. This study delves into the remarkable journey of Vivy Yusof, a Malaysian fashion icon and astute businesswoman, boasting over a million followers on Instagram. She stands as a testament to the power of personal branding in propelling success in the fashion industry.

The objectives of this research are twofold: to discern the messages Vivy Yusof communicates to her audience through her personal Instagram posts and to understand the engagement dynamics of her audience with these posts. Leveraging the Honeycomb framework, her Instagram content is analyzed across seven functional building blocks: presence, relationships, reputation, groups, identity, conversations, and sharing.

This study categorizes Vivy Yusof’s Instagram posts based on their focus on these functional building blocks and investigates how they influence audience interaction. Her social media presence underscores the pivotal role of CEO personal branding, as evidenced by her profound influence and her followers` eagerness to engage with her posts, spanning topics from business to personal life.

This research contributes to the evolving discourse on personal branding strategies, illuminating the nexus between content strategies and audience engagement on social media.

Introduction

Traditional branding paradigms have traditionally revolved around generic terms for product or business brands. However, the advent of social media has revolutionized branding strategies, ushering in the era of personal branding. A personal brand enables individuals to effectively market themselves and their unique personalities. Consequently, social media platforms and active engagement therein play a pivotal role in shaping personal branding strategies.

While personal branding is often associated with celebrities, athletes, politicians, and public figures, CEOs have increasingly embraced personal branding through their social media presence. By sharing insights into their personal lives, fostering user interaction, and offering transparency into both personal and company activities, CEOs can significantly influence brand engagement, even among non-customers.