By SAMANTHA ETTUS
Scripps Howard News Service
30-DEC-04

2004 made us long for the days when a celebrity landed on the cover of a magazine because of talent, not scandal. This year, we were bombarded by copycat images as the weekly tabloid magazines battled for readers by exploiting Mary Kate Olsen's eating disorder, Janet Jackson's Nipplegate and celebrity couples' spats.

With this flood of coverage, it's hard to determine which celebrities truly emerged as the People Brands of 2004. Let's take a look at a few whose rise mirrors that of the now-ubiquitous iPod.

Donald Trump

Though the second season was not as bright as the first, "The Apprentice" propelled the real-estate mogul to TV super-stardom, and he has played the role brilliantly. We have all but forgotten his bankruptcy and adultery, and are instead focused on his future.

Katie Couric

America's darling has a winning smile and hard-core journalism skills. She has blossomed in every aspect of her life. And her new look has folks gaping. Fans want to be her friend and men want to escort her to the ball.

Martha Stewart

Even in jail, Stewart remains at the forefront of our minds. In the last year, her image has gone from villain to heroine as thousands banded together in support of the domestic diva. She is handling incarceration with grace and style, communicating with fans through her Web site. She has even become friends with cellmates. 2004 was the beginning of her brand resurrection, but 2005 will be even bigger.

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey and Ashlee Simpson

The second season of Jessica and Nick's MTV show "Newlyweds" sealed their status as one of America's favorite young married couples. With her booming voice, Jessica proved that talent lies behind her beauty. Hollywood recognized her value and crossover abilities, offering her the starring role as Daisy Duke over many others. Though Lachey seemed like the second-class citizen for a while, his star is shining brightly, too. He's been tapped to star in his own reality show. Ashlee Simpson, meanwhile, emerged from her older sister's shadow with her distinct look and voice, and bounced back quickly from the "Saturday Night Live" lip-synching uproar.

Lindsay Lohan

In the span of one brief year, Lohan grew from teeny-bopper to sexy star. Lohan's stock rose after her acclaimed performance in "Mean Girls," and her off-camera party-girl antics simply feed her increasing profile.

Britney Spears

Despite scandal at every turn, Spears' popularity is at an all-time high. She is the most-searched-for celebrity on the Internet. She might have the last laugh on all her critics as her quickie marriage to dancer Kevin Federline appears to be going strong, and she claims to be committed to and focused on her role as a wife. Stay tuned for more musical notes from her next year.

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

(Samantha Ettus' latest book, "The Experts' Guide to Life at Home" (Random House) is now in bookstores. She welcomes your comments at Samantha@celebrityassets.com.)