Publicity: Friend or Foe?

In the world of branding, there has long been a polarising notion: any publicity is good publicity. The phrase, often tossed around with a sense of bravado, suggests that as long as your name is on people’s lips, you are winning the game. For some, it is a mantra that fuels bold, sometimes controversial moves. For others, it is a dangerous oversimplification that risks tarnishing years of careful reputation-building. As someone who has spent years shaping and refining personal brands across industries and cultures, I have seen both ends of this spectrum up close, and the truth lies in a far more nuanced space.

Publicity, by its very nature, draws attention. In the short term, even negative publicity can propel a person or brand into the spotlight, increasing visibility and creating a flurry of conversations. In certain cases, this can work to one’s advantage. A daring campaign, a provocative opinion, or a polarising stance can spark curiosity and drive awareness. But awareness alone is not the currency that builds enduring personal brands. What truly matters is the association that awareness creates in the minds of your audience. Here lies the difference between temporary noise and long-term value.

Personal branding is about shaping perception. Every word, action, and appearance feeds into an overarching narrative that defines how you are seen, remembered, and spoken about.

While good publicity can reinforce this narrative in ways that open doors and foster trust, bad publicity can corrode it, often faster than it was built. In today’s hyperconnected digital ecosystem, negative impressions are not just fleeting whispers; they are archived, searchable, and shareable. A misstep today can resurface years later, haunting opportunities that might never even reach you because someone decided to “just Google your name.”

It is important to remember that the architecture of a personal brand is delicate. It rests on the pillars of credibility, relatability, and consistency. Positive publicity tends to strengthen these pillars by aligning public perception with the values you want to be known for. Negative publicity, on the other hand, often chips away at these pillars by introducing doubt, distrust, or misalignment. And then there is the category that often goes unspoken: those who prefer no publicity at all. For them, staying out of the public eye is a strategic choice — one that may work in certain professions, but becomes limiting in industries where visibility directly correlates with influence.

The decision to court publicity, in any form, should therefore be weighed against your brand’s long-term positioning. If the publicity, even in its most provocative form, still aligns with your brand values and strengthens your positioning, it may be worth the risk. But if it pulls you away from your intended narrative, confuses your audience, or forces you into damage-control mode, the short-term visibility is rarely worth the long-term cost. Personal branding is not a sprint to be the loudest voice in the room; it is a marathon to become the most trusted one.

In my work as a personal branding strategist, I often advise clients to view every piece of publicity — whether earned, created, or accidental — as a chapter in the story they are telling. The question is not simply, “Will this make people talk about me?” but rather, “Will this make people see me the way I want to be seen?” The most powerful brands, personal or corporate, are those that have mastered the art of being talked about for the right reasons, in ways that are consistent with their identity and purpose. The wrong kind of publicity may still put your name in the headlines, but it can just as quickly put your credibility on trial.

In the end, publicity is a double-edged sword. Wielded wisely, it can cut through the noise and carve out a space where your personal brand thrives.

Wielded recklessly, it can cut into the very foundation you have worked to build. The goal, therefore, is not to seek any publicity, but the right publicity — the kind that cements your reputation, amplifies your values, and ensures that when people search your name, what they find reinforces exactly who you are and what you stand for.

I’m all ears and am available for a free consultation call if you are looking at enhancing or building your personal brand and becoming a part of my elite group. You could book a call with me from the link below: https://sprect.com/pro/divyaaadvaani

(The author is a personal branding expert. She has clients from 14+ countries. Views personal.)