A Lesson In Personal Branding From The Women of SNL

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This weekend I watched a TV special about the women of Saturday Night Live that really made me appreciate the cast members for their talent as well as their brand. I learned the stories of great comediennes such as Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, Sarah Silverman and Amy Poehler. These women, of course, are part of a long line of progressive comediennes like Lucille Ball and Roseanne Barr.

As I watched the show it became more apparent to me exactly why I liked these women so much. Their brand was completely opposite from what it was expected to be. Many women in television and cinema use sex appeal and traditional roles as a way in to be successful. These women are unique and even push the envelope more than most male comedians. There were a few overarching themes that really spoke to all of the women’s personal brands:

Think outside of what’s expected

Many of the women of SNL have created personalities that are remembered in skits for years after their inception. They basically looked outside of “the box” and didn’t even see the inside as an option. That was a huge risk for their brands, but those risks came with bountiful reward.

Be supportive

All of the women in the cast used the experience as a way to bring themselves together so that they could thrive together. It goes without saying that working with people is always more beneficial than working against them. Find people that you’re working with who have the same goals as you do and

Give the people what they want

Many of the comediennes created long-lasting characters that made frequent appearances on the show. Knowing what works and what doesn’t is key to the success and continuation of your brand. While portraying these characters, the comediennes also continued to experiment with new sketches to find new additions to their array of portrayals – each time strengthening their brand and its place on the show.

Find your launch pad

When you look at where the comediennes of SNL went after their time on the show, it become immediately apparent that SNL was a launch pad that catapulted many of them into their careers. Thinking strategically about what your launch pad can be or needs to be is a key moment in mapping the future of your brand. Identify it, attain it, use it, and move forward from it.

I’m definitely looking forward to future seasons of SNL and the continuing success of many of its famous comediennes. I hope that their brands retain some of their original DNA while continuing to evolve.

Picture of David Trahan

David Trahan

David Trahan is currently working at leading social marketing agency Mr Youth in New York, and previously held positions with the Ad Council, Goldman Sachs and others. He is a recent graduate of Pace University where he received many scholarships and awards and is now a mentor in their Alumni Mentor Program. David also serves as a member of the AD Club of New York Young Professionals Steering Committee.

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