How some famous siblings are handling it all

By SAMANTHA ETTUS
Scripps Howard News Service
05-AUG-04

Although Donny and Marie Osmond and the Jackson Five, to name two examples of celebrity siblings, flaunted their relations to garner fame and success, many other celebrity kin go to extremes to distance themselves in an attempt to promote their individuality. And while sibling rivalry might lurk behind the scenes, most celebrities are media savvy enough to play down any controversy that might linger at home.

How such celebrities manage dual roles as entertainers and siblings influences their collective and individual brands.

This week we take a peek at how the actions of three sets of famous siblings have affected their careers: heiresses Nicky and Paris Hilton, singers Ashlee and Jessica Simpson, and actors Luke and Owen Wilson.

Are they managing their very public relationships in ways that are bolstering or bruising their personal brands, their greatest assets?

The brand-assets meter ranges from $ to $$$$.

Ashlee and Jessica Simpson

Ashlee Simpson has finally emerged from the shadow of her older sibling; her first album debuted at No. 1, a milestone for any artist, let alone a first-timer. Ironically, one of her most popular singles is "Shadow," an ode to living in a family with a star sister.

While Jessica has been completely supportive of her sister's sudden success and seems comfortable sharing the spotlight, Ashlee apparently is incapable of appearing in the press without making a reference to her sister. This failure to embrace her independence threatens to impede Ashlee's ascent. Ashlee must accept that Jessica will always be credited with paving her sister's path to her own record deal and MTV reality show. The sooner she does, the sooner she and others will acknowledge her own value.

If there are any lingering issues of self-worth, Ashlee would be better off airing them to a therapist and keeping the public out of it so that we can enjoy her music and her show without thinking about her childhood angst.

Jessica Simpson's Sibling Brand A$$$$ets

Ashlee Simpson's Sibling Brand A$ets

Luke and Owen Wilson

Luke and Owen Wilson exemplify the ideal Hollywood sibling relationship. They have appeared onscreen together and apart and seem to get along well off-camera. The Wilsons have traveled a seemingly effortless road to individuality, distinguishing their careers with little fanfare.

Luke could easily have gotten lost in Owen's shadow, given that his big brother wrote the screenplay for "Bottle Rocket," the film that launched both careers. But by always taking on roles that reflect their unique personalities and not worrying about any potential overlap, these two have ensured that their fans pay no heed to it either.

Owen Wilson's Brand A$$$$ets

Luke Wilson's Brand A$$$$ets

Nicky and Paris Hilton

While Paris has been busy making a name for herself, younger sister Nicky has at times paid the price for Paris' shenanigans. After Paris's less-than-shocking sex-tape scandal, Nicky spoke out in support of her sister _but told the world that "I am not Paris" by dying her hair dark brown. Since then, she has declared that "I am Nicky" by launching her own line of handbags and keeping a healthy distance from the Paris spotlight.

While Paris attracts scandal, Nicky is far quieter; she's made only rare public appearances with her restless sister and has spent the last two years staying far from the Hamptons, a noted Paris playground. Meanwhile, Paris was just hired as the new face of Guess Jeans and recently completed taping the second season of "A Simple Life," the series in which she stars with fellow party girl Nicole Richie. She has also taken some small movie roles and has her sights set on being a big-screen star. In many ways, the overexposed Paris has been a boon for Nicky's career. As Paris hogs the limelight and makes the mistakes first, Nicky is left with a wide-open canvas on which to plot her next move.

Paris Hilton's Brand A$$$ets

Nicky Hilton's Brand A$$$$ets

Remember: the most dependable road to the top is to treat your brand as your greatest asset.

(Samantha Ettus, president of Ettus Media Management, is a leading voice on personality-driven brands. Her first book, "The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do" (Random House), will be published in September. Send comments and questions to Samantha(at)celebrityassets.com.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com)