Marthapedia
Friday, September 28th, 2007We all know about the fragility of brands invested mainly in a human being. Think OJ.
But, you have to give Martha Stewart credit. She’s a maestro of managing her own brand image.
She was branded as “expert”, then was indicted on federal charges of securities fraud and obstruction of justice in an insider stock trading scandal, went to prison and emerged as “pop/celebrity brand”. Remember her first big project out of prison — the sister show to Donald Trump’s The Apprentice — where people competed to be Martha’s apprentice. There have been books, TV appearances on shows like Ugly Betty, a deal with Sirius.
And two years after her prison release, it’s clear she is actively evolving her brand back to “expert”. Earlier this month, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia announced that it inked a partnership with E & J Gallo Winery to produce a wine brand with label “Martha Stewart Vintage”. And she also signed contract with Costco Wholesale Corp. to offer frozen and fresh food under the Kirkland [Costco house brand] Signature.
And now Marthapedia, her own wiki website seeded “with existing content from Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, such as Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook, but will open for information and suggestions from the public.”