I had the pleasure of interviewing Al Lautenslager for Febuary’s featured expert on Club Brandspiration. I know Al is a Snoop Dogg fan (it says so under his musical tastes on Facebook), so this post is a shout out to Al and all my Snoop Dogg fans out there.

Snoop’s Upside Your Head

From the first moment we heard “One-Two-Three-and-to-the-Fo” in his 1993 debut with Dr. Dre on the album The Chronic, Snoop Dogg made his way into the American landscape as one of the most appealing rappers of all time for audiences of all kinds. He has been able to translate his laid-back style into a brand that has drawn interest from hardcore gangstas to Martha Stewart, and beyond.

Today’s post is about how to create a memorable personal brand using the branding principles of Snoop Dogg.

5 Lessons for Creating a Memorable Brand

• Lesson 1: Use Emotional Story Telling. Snoop Dogg allures audiences as a master storyteller. From visual storytelling with his clothing style to signature braided hair style to verbal storytelling from “a young g’s perspective”, Snoop knows that a good story will connect you to your audience. Lesson: Emotionally connect to your audience through brand storytelling.
• Lesson 2: Gain Exposure with Endorsements. In 1993, when Snoop Dogg’s first Album DoggyStyle debuted at number one, he already had gained notoriety as Dr. Dre’s protégé. I still remember the buzz around having to own his record. His reputation and endorsement from Dr. Dre allowed him to sell over one million records in his first week alone. He has used this tactic of teaming up with other artist throughout his career, but it was the Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg duo that initially propelled him to success.  Lesson: Increase your brand awareness by getting recommendations from people your audience already trusts.
• Lesson 3: Hook Them In With Taglines. Brand messages stick when audiences are easily able to recite them. Snoop has this advantage with the hooks , rhythms, and rhymes he brings into his songs. When the beat to Gin and Juice pops up on the radio, you can believe that Snoop Dogg fans are ready to chant the infamous chorus “with my mind on my money and my money on my mind”. Lesson: Create memorable brand messages by incorporating taglines that use rhyme or repetition.
• Lesson 4: Inspire with Something New. Snoop Dogg has positioned his brand miles apart from other rappers because of his unique vocal style. It is soft and smooth; delivered in a laid back style. Just as the title of his 2004 record, Snoop’s style is known as R & G: Rhythm and Gangsta. Lesson: Define what makes you unique through your brand’s positioning.
• Lesson 5: Mix it Up with Something Old. Snoop knows how to create buzz just by making something old new again. When Snoop needed to re-brand his image, he revived “izzle” speak, a style of slang that was popularized in 1981 by Frankie Smith’s “Double Dutch Bus” funk song, and had millions of people using phrases like “fo shizzle.” Lesson: Put a spin on the past when looking for interesting ways to rebrand you.

It doesn’t matter if you like rap, hip-hop, rock, or alternative, you can find inspiration for your personal brand by studying what works for legendary artists and then applying those tactics in a way that is authentic to your brand. Snoop Dogg has been able to successfully take his brand from the recording studio to TV and sound stages; it doesn’t matter what he is doing, he will continue to charm his audience no matter which direction he goes next. The guy knows how to be memorable and distinctive.

Keep the Conversation flowing…What is the number one lesson you’ve learned from Snoop Dogg?

PS: Have you checked out my latest e-book for 10 Updates For Your Personal Brand in 2012? It’s full of insights, resources, and tips to help propel your brand towards success. Download A Brand You Year for free today!