Hats off to Oprah

By SAMANTHA ETTUS
Scripps Howard News Service
14-OCT-04

Her presence has been known to make people weep openly in joy and awe; her power reaches so far and wide that nothing she attempts seems impossible; the loyalty of her following is unsurpassed; she is the only woman who attempts to go by two names _ but is referred to by one.

The world's greatest religious leader? No, it's Oprah Winfrey.

Do we call her a celebrity, a leader, a role model, a business tycoon, or a singularly large-hearted person? Perhaps all of the above, or perhaps none, as these labels cannot begin to do her justice.

In the last decade, Oprah has transformed countless people into avid readers, inspired millions to get fit with her own weight loss efforts, turned a spotlight on the AIDS epidemic in Africa, and made Dr. Phil a household name _ all while maintaining her status as host and producer of the world's highest rated talk show.

Her accomplishments have outstripped those of even her most celebrated talk show predecessors, from Phil Donahue to Sally Jesse Raphael to Geraldo Rivera. None of them came close to achieving Oprah's level of celebrity.

Watched unfailingly by 30 million viewers every week, Oprah's show transcends all demographics. Her brand extensions have been equally successful, with her O Magazine boasting millions of readers each month and continuing to grow.

But just as notable _ or more so _ is her commitment to philanthropy. This year Oprah has managed to marry her desire to give back with her creative vision for the Oprah Winfrey Show by making "dreams" the theme of this season's episodes.

By mobilizing big corporations and convincing them of the value in shelling out big bucks for charitable purposes, she's been able to make dreams come true, simultaneously boosting corporations' images.

.In this season's first episode, she persuaded General Motors to give away cars to each of her audience members and, most recently, she held a baby shower for the pregnant wives of soldiers in Iraq. In this episode, "The World's Biggest Surprise Baby Shower," she came dangerously close to overemphasizing Johnson and Johnson's "generosity." Moving forward, it will be crucial that she avoid coming close to crossing the corporate line.

Is this an open love letter to Oprah, or a public acknowledgement of a flawlessly managed brand?

Neither.

Each week at Celebrity Assets we look at celebrities and how their own brand management impacts their careers. While Oprah has made smart choices, her instincts, her charisma, and her ability to connect with viewers are unparalleled. While many of these attributes can't be replicated, they should be recognized and Oprah applauded as an icon of brand management.

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). Send comments and questions to Samantha(at)celebrityassets.com.).

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