Brad and Jen's classy breakup a model for others

By SAMANTHA ETTUS
Scripps Howard News Service
13-JAN-05

By now, anyone not residing under a rock has heard the news that America's sweetheart couple, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, has separated.

More surprising than this news itself is the reaction of a vast cross-section of Americans. The typical response to celebrity breakups is either an unmoved "I knew it" or a jaded "I couldn't stand her/him/their dog (insert pronoun here)." But there has been little such commentary in this case.

Instead, we've heard one nearly universal reaction: "How sad!" This week we take a look at the public's response.

While their wedding was a not-so-private affair rumored to have cost upwards of $1 million, Brad and Jen's romance seemed solid until last year, when continuous rumors of strife emerged. But after more than four years of marriage, the couple took a last-minute vacation to the Caribbean last week. Upon their return, they were officially separated, with Aniston remaining in their newly purchased and renovated Los Angeles home.

Like their marriage, their split was not impulsive, nor was their plan for how to communicate the demise of their relationship to family, friends and the press. The business-savvy couple left no stone unturned when it came to handling the media, releasing a joint statement before even landing in the United States. In addition, they preceded the announcement with personal joint calls to loved ones.

Brad and Jen's actions provide insight into why so many Americans identified with them. They were not the typical Hollywood couple who partied until 4 a.m. or had so little respect for one another that they fought in public. They talked only in glowing terms about one another _ at least publicly. And when they bragged about their favorite things to do together, it was about things the average person could relate to _ a night out at their favorite local Mexican restaurant, or an evening on the couch watching a movie. Their home was bigger than ours, but what they did in that home sounded quite similar to our own lives.

The handling of their sky-high-profile relationship and breakup serves as a model for how celebrities should handle the challenges of an overly exposed personal life. Their proactive approach to disseminating the news and the history of privacy they have cultivated make them largely immune to the invasion of the stalkerazzi.

In fact, their civility may allow them to salvage their relationship, a rarity in Hollywood, where celebrities often treat marriage as something disposable. By maintaining their composure and a bond, Brad and Jen are less exposed to the scrutiny that might sink any hopes of reconciliation.

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

(Samantha Ettus is the author of "The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do" (Random House). Contact her at Samantha(at)celebrityassets.com.)

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