What the 'famous for being famous' can teach us about celebrity

An Argument for Association-Based Fame

JCS Strategies: Strengthening Brand Reach & Recognition of Emerging & Established Public Figures | Dr. Jordan Schaul | Bicoastal Publicist

Since Leo Braudy published The Frenzy of Renown in the mid-80s, fame culture has dramatically changed. In an interview nearly two decades after the USC professor released his seminal book on celebrity, he suggested that fame had become conflated with visibility. “In this climate, the idea that someone might be famous but her face be unfamiliar seems terminally paradoxical. Visibility is fame; being on television validates one’s existence as a movie star, politician, thinker, or swallower of semitropical worms.”

“In this climate, the idea that someone might be famous but her face be unfamiliar seems terminally paradoxical. Visibility is fame; being on television validates one’s existence as a movie star, politician, thinker, or swallower of semitropical worms.” – Leo Braudy

Celebrity was once centered on achievement, but the advent of the internet and social platforms made discerning achievement-based fame from mere exposure almost impossible. For digitally native generations, the conflation has only been deepened.

Equating fame to visibility necessitates a paradigm shift for many entrepreneurs and subject-matter experts regarding how they view themselves and their profession.  It has never been more critical to welcome exposure, put humility aside, and overcome an aversion to publicity.   

In The Social CEO: How Social Media Can Make You A Stronger Leader, Damian Corbet, a PR consultant, describes the growing need for socially engaged leaders who actively connect with stakeholders, including board directors, stockholders, customers, employees, and colleagues.

But social media exposure is not enough. Sharon Marcus, the Dean of Humanities at Columbia University and author of The Drama of Celebrity, chronicled the life of Sarah Bernhardt, the first modern-day celebrity. In an interview about the book, she said, "Today, an Italian rapper can have 3 million Twitter followers and still be someone most people have never heard of. Sarah Bernhardt, by contrast, was a household name around the world even among those who never actually saw her perform.”

"Today, an Italian rapper can have 3 million Twitter followers and still be someone most people have never heard of. Sarah Bernhardt, by contrast, was a household name around the world even among those who never actually saw her perform.” – Sharon Marcus

In a competitive media market, even those uncomfortable in the spotlight or plagued with impostor syndrome must embrace attention and press coverage. Otherwise, they can be lost, if not forgotten.

Performing artists have always required robust audiences. However, experts in law, medicine, and wealth management can be driven to near obscurity even with an impressive scholarly publication record and/or rave reviews from patients, clients, and customers. While expertise fosters recognition, recognition by popular demographics is now an indicator of knowledge and authority.

Pursuing fame for the sake of celebrity may be egocentric, but pursuing fame for reach, recognition, and revenue is smart for business. Search engine optimization has not become a multi-billion-dollar industry for nothing.

High professionals cannot simply become famous for ‘doing’ anymore; they must be receptive to being marketed by others or receptive to marketing themselves. To learn more about how subject-matter experts can embrace fame culture, follow our blog or reach out.

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