Each year, Millennial Branding rewards some of the standout brands by recognizing them with Personal Brand Awards. Last year, Gary Vaynerchuk was the standout brand of the year, receiving the coveted gold award. In 2008, Jeremiah Owyang received the gold award, and in 2007, Rohit Bhargava received the first one. A panel of judges were chosen this year and people were graded based on a few factors, such as value proposition, differentiation, and marketability. It’s important that all contenders have a lot of media attention, a strong web presence (including social network profiles), and a unique value proposition. Below is a celebration for all the winners and they will be recognized in the February 2011 issue of Personal Branding Magazine.
The judges
This year’s Personal Brand Awards was judged by some of my core blogging team, both past and present. The judges include Nance Rosen, Pete Kistler, Kyle Lacy, Jacob Share, Chad Levitt, Emily Bennington, Heather Huhman, Roger Parker, David Trahan, and Maria Elena Duron. I was the head judge this year in order to break any tie’s in the voting.
Gold Award: Personal Brand of the Year
Tony Robbins is the worlds leading self-help guru, with a massive personal branding platform. His company name is his own name, and he’s been involved with all types of media, ranging from his TV show (earlier this year), to his social media presence, to his bestselling books. He has 1.8 million followers on Twitter, and over 175,000 fans on Facebook, that he interacts with every day. He shares quotes, advice, and inspiration to his many fans. As a master brand builder, Robbins has aligned himself with mega celebrity brands including Bill Clinton, Quincy Jones, and Pamela Anderson. Aside from his many TV appearances, including Larry King Live!, Robbins has been in several blockbuster movies, including Shallow Hal. We are proud to award this year’s gold award to Mr. Tony Robbins!
Silver Awards
Dr. Oz, whose real name is Mehmet Cengiz Oz, is an American cardiothoracic surgeon, author, 
and host and commentator for the syndicated daily television program focusing on medical issues/personal health, The Dr. Oz Show. Recently, he’s been able to take his reoccurring presence on the Oprah Winfrey Show and start his own show, continuing is personal branding domination on TV. Aside from TV, his platform includes his columns in O Magazine and Esquire, and his multiple New York Times bestselling books. Dr. Oz has twice the amount of Facebook fans (880,000) than Twitter followers (440,00).
Tory Johnson is an entrepreneur, author, contributor to Good Morning America, and a 
leader in the conversion of technology and career management. She has inspired women across the world, helping them get jobs, and teaching them how to be more successful in the workplace. She has published five books, including her mega bestseller “Will Work From Home.” Tory’s branding platform ranges from her appearances on GMA, to ABC News NOW, to her articles on ABCNews.com, and throughout the rest of her web presence. She is both very engaging on Facebook, and Twitter, and teaches her audience how to use the tools for career success.
Bronze Awards
Keith Ferrazzi is the king of networking and relationship building. He has crafted a remarkable
story, from graduating Yale to becoming the CMO of both Deloitte Consulting and the Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and then a #1 New York Times bestselling author. Out of all his press and contributions to the networking space, his book, Never Eat Alone, has become a business book classic on the shelves of bookstores worldwide. With Ferrazzi’s second book, Whose Got Your Back, he has helped individuals understand that to be successful today, you have to surround yourself with the right people that can support you. His platform consists of his brand new Relationship Masters Academy, his social network following, his popular blog, his appearances on major TV shows, including Larry King Live! and Dr. Oz.
Guy Kawasaki is one of the most well-known independent voices in the technology space. 
After being one of the of the original product marketers for Apple, he became a venture capitalist, founder of Alltop.com, and is still a world-class blogger. Guy is the author of many books, including his latest book called “Enchantment,” which is due out in 2011. Guy has built a tremendous social networking presence, with almost 300,000 followers on Twitter. Although sometimes criticized for his use of social networks, he has maintained a directly one-on-one connection to his followers, and a promise to help others succeed, which has made him successful.
Jessica Lee is a Senior Employment Manager for APCO Worldwide, a global PR firm 
headquartered in D.C. Like most upscale HR pros, she spends half of her time on recruiting, the other half on ER, Training and OD. Jessica has become one of the primary thought leaders in the HR field, and a voice to be reckoned with. She’s also the editor for one of the leading, and most respected, HR blogs “Fistful of Talent.” she is also very active on social networking sites, such as Twitter, and speaks at many HR conferences. She also has her own blog.
