The American obsession with branding is more than a business strategy...we're facing a cultural crisis.
In this provocative and timely episode of Theories of Celebrity Branding:, cultural historian and author Bob Batchelor confronts a fundamental question: What is the cost of turning every person into a brand?
We live in an era where celebrity branding logic—once reserved for movie stars and Fortune 500 companies—has trickled down into everyday life. Middle schoolers are told to “build their brand.” Local leaders are ignored in favor of influencer content. Meaning is sacrificed at the altar of virality.
It’s time to ask:
- What happens when visibility is valued more than virtue?
- Are we trading authenticity for aesthetics?
- Can society withstand the consequences of constant personal performance?
Drawing on his recent leadership book The Authentic Leader: The Power of Deep Leadership in Work and Life and his decades of scholarship on cultural storytelling, Batchelor goes far beyond the typical analysis of branding and identity. He peels back the glossy exterior to reveal the deeper sociocultural rot underneath: a widespread erosion of community, trust, and individual mental well-being.
Listeners will explore:
- How celebrity branding undermines trust in real, grassroots leadership
- Why social media’s algorithmic reward system fuels polarization, not unity
- The dangerous illusion of self-worth being tied to personal brand “performance”
- The psychological toll of living under the pressure of constant content creation
- Why nihilism is growing in the digital age—and what branding has to do with it
This episode doesn’t just critique celebrity culture—it critiques the systems we have built that demand everyone become a micro-celebrity. Teachers, therapists, scientists, students, parents—no one is immune from the pressure to curate and monetize identity.
And it’s breaking us.
We are raising a generation of content creators who don’t know how to sit in silence. A generation of leaders more fluent in optics than ethics. And a society addicted to performance, even in our most intimate, human moments.
But this episode also offers a path forward.
Using his EAT Model (Engage, Adapt, Transform), Batchelor challenges listeners to practice branding as a tool for meaningful storytelling, not manipulation.
- Engage with the hard truths about how branding shapes modern life
- Adapt your communication practices to prioritize values over virality
- Transform branding into a force for connection, community, and cultural renewal
Whether you're a marketing strategist, public relations professional, communications student, journalist, or simply someone navigating the noise of modern media—this episode is a must-listen. It will challenge your assumptions, deepen your cultural literacy, and equip you with the critical insight needed to lead with integrity in an age of branding overload.
Ask yourself:
- Are you building a brand, or are you living a life?
- Do your messages reflect your values, or your desire for validation?
- What would leadership look like if it were measured not by likes, but by legacy?
For more on these ideas, read The Authentic Leader by Bob Batchelor or explore bobbatchelor.com.
Subscribe, share, and leave a review if this episode sparked new thinking or changed how you see the world. Because the future of branding—and the culture it shapes—is being written right now.
By you.
Bob Batchelor takes listeners on an authoritative and compelling journey through the hidden histories of branding in America—and why understanding these roots is essential for anyone building, managing, or analyzing personal and professional brands today.
Branding isn’t just about logos or influencer deals. Branding is a cultural force, storytelling framework, and a mirror of American identity.
Batchelor, a faculty member at Coastal Carolina University, draws on decades of scholarship—from Kimberly-Clark and Rookwood Pottery to Starbucks, Norman Mailer, and John Updike—to reveal how branding evolved from mere marketplace signaling into a dominant cultural system that influences how we view ourselves, others, and the world around us.
Listeners will explore:
-- How early 20th-century brands like Kimberly-Clark used emotionally intelligent marketing to break taboos and build consumer trust—long before “brand storytelling” became a buzzword
-- How Rookwood Pottery, founded in Cincinnati in 1880, created one of the first American lifestyle brands using art, aspiration, and personal craftsmanship
-- The concept of radical sociodrama developed by Batchelor and Kaitlin Krister Schrock to explain how Starbucks became more than coffee—a curated performance of identity and power
-- A sharp contrast between John Updike and Norman Mailer as self-made literary brands: one refined and understated, the other loud and controversial—both strategically cultivating their public mythologies
-- How celebrity branding today isn’t new—it’s an extension of centuries-old cultural systems repackaged through modern media
This is a class in cultural fluency. Batchelor connects the dots between past and present, helping listeners understand the evolution of branding as a cultural driver that now touches every part of modern life—from the checkout aisle to social media.
Whether you’re a marketing student, PR professional, or media strategist, this is the historical and cultural context you didn’t know you needed...but can’t lead without.
Why this episode matters:
In a world overwhelmed by brand messages and identity performance, understanding where branding comes from—and what it truly represents—gives you a critical edge. It’s the key to building resonance, trust, and cultural relevance in your work and personal brand.
You’ll walk away with:
A deeper understanding of branding as a storytelling system, not just a marketing tactic
Insights into how symbols, rituals, and power dynamics are embedded in everyday brand interactions
Examples of historical and contemporary branding figures who mastered mythmaking
A broader cultural literacy that will sharpen your ability to decode celebrity influence and design more effective communications
Whether you’re building a personal brand, launching a startup, or working in media, this episode will challenge your assumptions and expand your strategic thinking.
Listen now and equip yourself with the historical and cultural insight you need to lead, influence, and innovate in the branding and communications space.
In this episode, we explore one of the most powerful tools in a communicator’s toolkit: Thought Leadership.
While often misunderstood, true thought leadership is about offering original insight, influencing conversations, and creating lasting impact. It’s how CEOs build trust, scholars reshape discourse, and professionals grow credibility in their fields.
In my book The Authentic Leader, I argue that the most successful leaders craft a personal narrative that aligns values, vision, and action. Thought leadership is one of the strongest ways to communicate that narrative—with clarity, purpose, and influence.
In this episode, we break down:
Why thought leadership matters at local, regional, national, and global levels
How it shapes public identity, brand perception, and crisis readiness
The role it plays in earned media, reputation building, and narrative control
How it ties into celebrity branding, public trust, and emotional resonance
You’ll hear examples of global thought leaders—from Oprah and Brené Brown to LeBron James—who have built brands far beyond their industries. What sets them apart isn’t just fame—it’s a deep, consistent commitment to shaping meaningful conversations and driving social change.
And the good news? You don’t need millions of followers to start.
At the heart of this episode is the understanding that celebrity branding and thought leadership are deeply connected. Both require narrative control, emotional clarity, and consistent public engagement. In an era of algorithmic attention and nonstop media cycles, they are essential tools for anyone looking to stand out and lead with integrity.
To bring this discussion to life, I introduce a powerful thought leadership case study: Donald Thompson.
Based in Raleigh, North Carolina, Donald is a multi-exit CEO, the 2023 EY Entrepreneur of the Year, and a nationally respected executive coach, writer, and culture-builder. Through his firm Walk West and initiatives like The Diversity Movement, Donald has transformed how companies think about leadership, inclusion, and business growth.
But Donald’s greatest impact comes through his personal brand of thought leadership. Whether mentoring first-time founders or advising Fortune 500 executives, he shows up with clarity, humility, and cultural intelligence. He shares weekly insights in his WRAL TechWire leadership column, speaks at top conferences, and hosts the High Octane Leadership podcast.
Donald believes in servant leadership grounded in purpose, a concept he explores in his memoir, Underestimated: A CEO’s Unlikely Path to Success. His approach isn’t performative—it’s deeply practical. He delivers actionable insights that help teams build “meaningful work,” not just buzzword-filled mission statements.
What sets Donald apart is his ability to connect story to strategy. He translates leadership into narrative, workplace culture into tangible systems, and thought leadership into long-term influence. He embodies what it means to lead in the modern world—with empathy, expertise, and execution.
So, whether you’re planning your next social media post, launching your first campaign, or simply wondering how to stand out in a crowded industry—this episode will help you understand the power of thought leadership to transform your personal brand, your work, and your long-term career.
And if you’re interested in learning more about Donald Thompson, visit donaldthompson.com, follow him on LinkedIn, or check out High Octane Leadership wherever you listen to podcasts.
If this episode inspired you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a colleague. Your support helps us continue exploring how culture, leadership, and storytelling shape the world around us.
Stay curious. Stay strategic. And keep shaping your story.
Welcome to a future that’s already arrived.
In this episode of Theories of Celebrity Branding, cultural historian, author, and Coastal Carolina University professor Bob Batchelor pulls back the curtain on artificial intelligence—and how it’s reshaping the way we think about branding, celebrity, and the creative process itself.
As an AI power user and one of the authors whose books helped train large language models like ChatGPT, Bob brings a unique perspective to the conversation. He explores not only how AI tools are influencing branding strategy, but also why human expertise remains essential in this evolving landscape.
We examine how brands, influencers, and celebrities are already co-creating with AI—and what that means for ethics, authenticity, and impact.
But this episode isn’t just about celebrities. It’s about you.
Bob utilizes the EAT Model (Engage, Adapt, Transform) he developed as a framework for building a values-based personal brand—one that incorporates AI thoughtfully without losing your voice or vision.
Whether you're a communications student, an early-career professional, or a seasoned content strategist, you’ll gain practical strategies for navigating AI as both a collaborator and disruptor.
Key Topics Covered:
Why combining AI with human expertise is the most powerful branding tool available
How AI is transforming celebrity branding through deepfakes, algorithmic curation, and content generation
The ethical challenges of AI in media, including misinformation, consent, and digital trust
Using AI to support (not replace) your personal brand, creativity, and audience connection
The real risk of relying too heavily on AI: producing a generation of content creators without critical thinking or context
Why This Episode Matters:As Bob argues in his book The Authentic Leader: The Power of Deep Leadership in Work and Life, technology—including AI—should serve human goals: connection, creativity, and shared purpose. The same holds true in branding. Used wisely, AI can elevate your storytelling and deepen trust. Used poorly, it can disconnect, deceive, and dilute your message.
This is a masterclass in navigating the crossroads of communication, identity, and innovation. And it’s packed with takeaways for anyone working in PR, media, marketing, or content creation.
Your Action List for Future-Proofing Your Brand:
Learn AI tools in your field (ChatGPT, Gemini, Canva, analytics platforms, and others)
Use AI for idea generation, first drafts, and audience insight—but revise with your voice
Practice ethical AI use: be transparent, respect privacy, and align with your values
Remember that you control the story—AI is your tool, not your replacement
Whether you’re exploring AI for the first time or already experimenting with generative tools, this episode challenges you to think deeper about how to integrate technology into your personal and professional brand with integrity.
If this episode sparked new thinking, be sure to subscribe, share with a classmate, and leave a review wherever you listen.
Stay curious. Stay ethical. And keep building your story—powered by AI, but grounded in authenticity.
Welcome to Theories of Celebrity Branding. I’m Bob Batchelor—author of The Authentic Leader, The Gatsby Code, and Stan Lee: A Life, which hits paperback October 30, 2025, from Bloomsbury. I’m also a professor at Coastal Carolina University, where I help students and professionals alike decode the power of branding in modern culture.
In this episode, we shift the spotlight from Hollywood stars and influencers to someone even more important: you.
Because whether you realize it or not, you already have a personal brand.
The only question is: are you actively shaping it—or letting others define it for you?
This conversation is about intentionality. You’ll learn how to take the frameworks we’ve explored—storytelling, archetypes, framing, symbolic interaction—and apply them to your own life and career. It’s about realizing that the same tools Beyoncé or Marvel uses to shape public perception are available to you. Right now.
To help you get started, I introduce my personal framework for growth and branding: the EAT Model—Engage, Adapt, Transform.
Engage:
Start by showing up. Connect authentically. Share what matters to you. Whether it’s media ethics, mental health, design, or entrepreneurship—let your values guide your voice.
Adapt:
Growth is inevitable. Brands that last evolve. Think of Bob Dylan or Marvel: they reinvent without losing their essence. You’ll learn how to update your platforms, explore new mediums, and reflect personal change in public-facing ways.
Transform:
True branding isn’t just about self-promotion—it’s about impact. When your voice contributes to a larger community or cause, you go from being a presence to being a force. This transformation happens when your work creates meaning for others—and reveals deeper truths about yourself.
Throughout the episode, we connect theory to practice:
Narrative and Storytelling: How to shape a personal narrative that’s cohesive, compelling, and values-driven.
Archetypes: Are you the Creator? The Sage? The Explorer? Understanding your archetype helps anchor your voice and presence.
Framing: How the images, words, and tone you use shape how others perceive you—especially online.
Symbolic Interactionism: Why branding is a co-created experience—and how consistency and clarity build trust with your audience.
We’ll also get practical with digital hygiene and platform strategy:
Audit your LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms for consistency and professionalism.
Clean up or archive content that doesn’t align with your future goals.
Choose the platforms that matter most to your field and focus on showing up there with intention.
To help you build your personal brand starting today, we’ll walk through REACTS:
Reflect: What story are you telling? What values are visible?
Engage: Join conversations, comment, connect, and contribute.
Adapt: Allow your brand to grow as you do—while staying rooted.
Curate: Clean, organize, and align your online presence.
Transform: Think bigger. How will your voice make a difference?
Start Sharing: Don’t wait. Begin posting, writing, and creating around your passions and goals.
In today’s professional world, your personal brand is your currency. It shapes how people remember you, how opportunities find you, and how you make an impact.
Whether you’re entering the workforce, pivoting careers, or just want to be more intentional, the strategies in this episode are built to grow with you.
This is your invitation to use the tools of celebrity branding—not to become famous, but to become clear, credible, and connected.
So ask yourself:
What story am I telling?
What impression do I leave behind?
What kind of impact do I want to have?
Your story is your brand. Your brand is your promise...Let’s make it meaningful.
If this episode helped clarify your next steps, please subscribe, share it with a classmate or colleague, and leave a review wherever you listen.
Stay curious, stay intentional, and keep building your story.
Welcome to Theories of Celebrity Branding. I’m Bob Batchelor, a cultural historian, award-winning author, and assistant professor at Coastal Carolina University. In today’s episode, we’re exploring one of the most important—and often misunderstood—topics in modern branding: globalization and cultural differences in how people engage with messages, celebrities, and organizations across borders.
Whether you’re planning a communications career in PR, advertising, or media, understanding cultural nuance will become one of your greatest assets. And it’s not just theory—I’ve lived this work.
As the former Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications at Workplace Options (WPO)—one of the world’s largest provider of global employee support services—I helped craft messaging and strategy for well-being and mental health campaigns on nearly every continent. The mission? Deliver counseling, coaching, and wellness resources to employees worldwide—in local languages, honoring cultural context, and always rooted in compassion.
At the heart of our work was a guiding principle: human-to-human connection. And that philosophy is as relevant to celebrity branding as it is to mental health messaging.
We live in a globally connected world—but culture still shapes how people hear, interpret, and act on messages.
Successful communicators must adapt while remaining aligned with core values. Think about global celebrities—actors, athletes, musicians. Their fame may travel, but their branding must evolve as they reach new audiences.
To build a global brand, celebrities (and the teams behind them) must find the right balance between:
Local branding (culturally specific adaptations)
Regional branding (aligned with broader values across similar markets)
Global branding (based on universal human experiences)
When I researched the global branding of Kimberly-Clark products like Kleenex, Huggies, and Kotex, I discovered how even iconic brands face immense challenges:
Kotex had to break through cultural taboos around menstruation, not just in conservative regions but also in the U.S. They didn’t just sell products—they educated and advocated.
Kleenex—a staple in American homes—had to rethink marketing in areas where disposable tissues were viewed as a luxury, not a necessity.
The biggest takeaway? Brands can’t simply export messaging. They must listen, learn, and localize, without losing sight of who they are.
Whether you’re building your own brand, supporting a wellness company like WPO, or managing an international client’s presence online, cultural fluency will set you apart.
Start observing:
How do brands adjust tone, imagery, or values for different regions?
Which celebrities succeed globally—and how do they maintain authenticity?
Where do branding efforts fail due to cultural missteps?
Global branding isn’t one-size-fits-all.
It must flex and bend based on the people it’s trying to reach.
Effective communicators are cultural learners.
They listen more than they speak, adapting with empathy and insight.
Branding can be a force for good.
Whether you're helping employees access mental health support or sharing a story that inspires across borders, branding has the power to heal, unite, and elevate.
If this episode helped expand your thinking, please subscribe, share it with a classmate, and leave a review. Your support helps amplify the conversation.
Stay curious. Stay culturally aware. And keep building the mindset of a future global communicator
Welcome back to Theories of Celebrity Branding. I’m Bob Batchelor—author, cultural historian, and assistant professor at Coastal Carolina University. In this episode, we’re analyzing how the rise of influencer culture and micro-celebrity is transforming the nature of branding, fame, and personal identity.
In a world shaped by social platforms, what defines celebrity now? What separates a global superstar from someone with 25,000 loyal Instagram followers who sells out a product in minutes?
We begin by drawing a clear line between traditional celebrities—actors, musicians, and athletes whose fame was manufactured by gatekeepers—and digital-native influencers, who build personal brands from the ground up through authenticity, storytelling, and daily engagement with followers.
At the heart of influencer branding is a powerful concept: parasocial relationships—those one-sided (yet emotionally powerful) connections that audiences form with influencers who feel "just like us." When creators share their daily lives, routines, fears, and ambitions, they create intimacy. The result? A kind of trust and loyalty that brands can’t buy with traditional advertising.
To bring this theory to life, we explore two case studies:
Cecilia Blomdahl didn’t become a global influencer from New York or LA—she did it from Svalbard, a remote Arctic archipelago near the North Pole. With snow-covered landscapes, polar nights, and the occasional polar bear sighting, her content is visually stunning—but her success stems from something deeper.
Her personal brand centers on authenticity, minimalism, and emotional clarity. Alongside her partner Christopher and dog Grimm, she crafts a quiet, but compelling, story of resilience, reflection, and beauty in solitude. Her ability to build parasocial intimacy—inviting viewers into her life without sensationalism—has led to major sponsorships and a New York Times bestselling memoir.
She proves that influence isn’t about being everywhere—it’s about being present, intentional, and trusted.
Next, we turn to The Hot Sardines, a New York–based jazz band that has taken a vintage sound and turned it into a modern brand. Co-led by vocalist Elizabeth Bougerol and pianist Evan Palazzo, the band infuses 1920s-era jazz with modern energy, using social media, not to chase trends, but to scale their live magic to a global stage.
Through curated content on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, The Hot Sardines have cultivated a fiercely loyal global following. Their brand is rooted in emotional connection, nostalgic performance, and the shared joy of live music—proving that in a saturated digital world, quality and consistency still win.
Their story is a blueprint for how creators can thrive by leading with purpose, embracing niche communities, and turning partnerships into storytelling assets.
As we navigate this evolving media landscape, influencer culture is no longer a sideshow to traditional celebrity, it is central to understanding how branding and identity function today.
Whether you're planning your own brand or analyzing others, these lessons will help you spot patterns, decode strategy, and move forward with intention.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share it, and leave a review wherever you listen. And as always—stay observant, stay strategic, and keep decoding the stories shaping your world.
In this episode of Theories of Celebrity Branding, cultural historian and bestselling author Bob Batchelor dives deep into one of the most powerful tools in branding—storytelling. Whether you’re a celebrity, entrepreneur, executive, or student communicator, your brand lives and dies by the story you tell—and the one others tell about you.
But what makes a brand narrative compelling? Why are some personal brands magnetic and memorable, while others fade away? And what role does storytelling play in both building and maintaining trust, loyalty, and authenticity?
This episode explores the heart of branding as narrative construction, where stories aren’t just decorative—they’re the foundation of identity, reputation, and influence.
Drawing from his acclaimed book The Authentic Leader, as well as his expertise as the biographer of cultural icons like Stan Lee, Bob Dylan, John Updike, and George Remus, Batchelor argues that the best brand storytellers aren’t simply marketers—they’re cultural mythmakers.
Key takeaways include:
The role of narrative coherence in establishing credibility and building emotional resonance.
How stories provide continuity during brand crises or reinventions.
Why authenticity is now a key metric for brand trust—and how it’s constructed (or deconstructed) through narrative choices.
How individuals, especially public figures and celebrities, are constantly negotiating their own origin myths, redemption arcs, and hero journeys in the public eye.
The episode uses Bob Dylan as a case study in narrative mastery. Dylan’s career—from folk poet to electric iconoclast to Nobel laureate—is a testament to how storytelling evolves over time. Rather than sticking to one version of himself, Dylan has shifted identities while maintaining a coherent sense of purpose and mythic depth.
This dynamic approach to narrative is crucial for today’s communicators. In an era when every post, comment, and headline can shape perception, controlling the narrative isn’t simply a PR strategy—it’s survival.
Listeners will also learn how narrative impacts workplace culture, values alignment, and even leadership. When a leader’s personal story is out of sync with their organization’s mission, it can breed cynicism and toxic work environments. Conversely, when leaders align their personal and professional narratives with clarity and intention, they foster meaning, engagement, and cultural cohesion.
For students and early-career communicators, Batchelor offers practical steps:
Start shaping your personal brand story now—rooted in values, not vanity.
Embrace storytelling as a leadership skill and reputation tool.
Understand that stories aren’t just reflections—they’re strategic assets that can help you thrive in branding, media, and marketing careers.
This episode reminds us that stories are how we make sense of the world—and how others make sense of us. Whether you’re building your own brand or helping shape someone else’s, your story matters.
Listen, subscribe, and share Theories of Celebrity Branding to keep exploring the cultural strategies behind influence, fame, and identity. This episode will change how you think about branding—and how you tell your own story.
In this compelling episode of Theories of Celebrity Branding, host Bob Batchelor—cultural historian, bestselling author, and assistant professor at Coastal Carolina University—confronts one of the most complex and pressing dimensions of branding today: the intersection of ethics, crisis management, and celebrity culture.
With public trust at historic lows, consumers are demanding more from brands—especially personal brands. Celebrities, influencers, and executives are increasingly expected to align their public personas with authentic values. But what happens when that image cracks? When a celebrity stumbles—or worse—how do they recover? And what do these moments tell us about culture, accountability, and redemption?
This episode explores the high-stakes terrain of branding ethics in the age of cancel culture, media spectacle, and viral backlash. Drawing on real-world case studies and decades of research, Batchelor unpacks the shifting rules of fame, trust, and public image—and what it all means for emerging communicators and brand strategists.
Listeners will learn:
What ethical responsibility looks like in celebrity branding and why it's increasingly non-negotiable for public figures.
The key elements of crisis communication, including transparency, timing, and tone.
How celebrities and their teams navigate the thin line between genuine redemption and opportunistic rebranding.
The psychological and social forces that drive cancel culture and how public audiences judge sincerity and remorse.
Lessons from high-profile controversies, including Travis Scott and the Astroworld tragedy, Lance Armstrong’s doping scandal, and the fall (and partial comeback) of Ellen DeGeneres.
Batchelor brings these complex issues to life through vivid analysis, while always anchoring the conversation in practical insight for students and professionals alike. Whether you’re a future PR specialist, media analyst, content creator, or brand manager, this episode offers a critical toolkit for handling reputational risk and shaping responsible narratives.
At the heart of this episode is an essential question:
Can brands—especially personal ones—survive ethical breaches? And if so, how?
In The Authentic Leader, Batchelor writes about the centrality of narrative and perception in leadership. This podcast episode builds on that work, encouraging listeners to see ethical branding not as a reactive afterthought, but as a proactive strategy rooted in purpose, responsibility, and cultural awareness.
Listeners will also explore how crisis can be a turning point. Some public figures emerge from controversy stronger—armed with a clarified mission and renewed public respect. Others collapse under the weight of inauthentic apologies, spin, or silence.
For students and professionals in communications, this episode is an invitation to think more deeply:
What values underpin the brands you admire?
How can you prepare for crisis before it hits?
What role should you play in crafting or challenging public narratives?
If you care about brand storytelling, trust, and accountability—or simply want to understand why some celebrities bounce back while others fade—this episode is a must-listen. It will sharpen your ethical awareness, improve your crisis communication skills, and deepen your understanding of how culture shapes our collective response to failure and redemption.
Subscribe to Theories of Celebrity Branding to explore more episodes connecting sociology, storytelling, and media strategy. Follow Bob Batchelor for insights on leadership, branding, and the cultural forces shaping our world.
This episode doesn’t just explain how to manage a brand—it challenges you to create one worth managing.
Understanding Parasocial Relationship Theory
In this illuminating episode of Theories of Celebrity Branding, host Bob Batchelor—cultural historian, bestselling author, and assistant professor at Coastal Carolina University—dives into one of the most profound psychological forces driving celebrity culture: Parasocial Relationship Theory.
First introduced in the 1950s by sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, parasocial relationships refer to the one-sided emotional bonds that audiences form with media figures—whether those figures are movie stars, athletes, reality TV contestants, or YouTubers. These imagined relationships often feel just as real, intimate, and impactful as actual friendships or romantic connections. In our hyper-connected, always-on media age, they are more common—and more powerful—than ever.
Why does this matter now?As modern audiences scroll, stream, and binge content across platforms, parasocial relationships are not just happening—they are actively cultivated. Celebrities and influencers design their digital personas to elicit feelings of closeness and authenticity. Fans, in turn, respond with real emotional investment: they defend celebrities online, celebrate their victories, and mourn their losses as if they were personal acquaintances. This dynamic shapes everything from pop culture fandom to mental health, branding, politics, and even consumer behavior.
To bring the theory to life, Batchelor offers a compelling case study built for today’s students:
He walks listeners through the parasocial dynamics surrounding YouTuber Emma Chamberlain, a creator who rose to prominence through her quirky, unfiltered, and relatable content. Chamberlain’s brand is built on authenticity—yet every angle, edit, and emotional reveal is part of a carefully constructed identity. Fans feel close to her, even though that closeness is mediated entirely by screens.
So, what can students and future communicators take from this?
Parasocial relationships are not just academic curiosities. They are foundational to how modern branding works. If you’re entering a career in public relations, marketing, journalism, digital strategy, or content creation, understanding parasociality is crucial. It helps explain:
Why some brands develop intense loyalty while others don’t.
How digital creators build influence and maintain audience trust.
Why emotional storytelling is such a potent force in modern communication.
How you might manage your own digital presence and personal brand responsibly.
And here’s a key insight from The Authentic Leader: as Batchelor argues, modern leadership is increasingly symbolic. Leaders, whether in business, entertainment, or politics, are interpreted through the same lens as celebrities. The parasocial expectations placed on public figures are shaping leadership communication and brand reputation in profound ways.
If you’ve ever felt like a celebrity "gets you," or you’ve caught yourself defending a content creator you’ve never met, this episode will give you the tools to understand why—and what that means for your own media consumption and professional journey.
Subscribe to Theories of Celebrity Branding to stay up to date on new episodes. Share this episode with a friend, a colleague, or anyone fascinated by the blurred line between fame and connection.
Follow host Bob Batchelor’s work on LinkedIn to dive deeper into the world where storytelling, psychology, and culture meet.
Whether you're a student, a strategist, or a curious listener, this episode will give you a sharper lens to decode the media-saturated world around you—and help you navigate your role in it.
In this episode, we peel back the layers of modern fame to understand one of the most powerful—but often invisible—forces shaping celebrity culture: media framing. Whether you’re scrolling through social media, watching a red-carpet interview, or catching a headline on your news app, you are seeing more than content—you are seeing carefully constructed narratives. These narratives don’t just reflect celebrity—they create it.
Host Bob Batchelor, cultural historian, author of The Gatsby Code and Stan Lee: A Life, and professor in the Department of Communication, Media, and Culture at Coastal Carolina University, explores how media framing, agenda-setting, and symbolic storytelling combine to mold public perception.
The episode also dives into the broader media ecosystem:
Framing Theory, drawn from the work of Erving Goffman and later expanded by scholars like Robert Entman, helps us understand how media selects, emphasizes, and downplays information to guide interpretation.
Agenda-setting theory—another key media concept—illustrates how the press doesn’t just tell us what to think, but what to think about.
Combined, these theories explain how celebrities are not simply revealed to us but constructed over time through repetition, tone, placement, and context.
Another key layer to this episode is what Batchelor calls the “Gatsby Effect”—the media myth-building machine that elevates individuals into symbols. Just like Jay Gatsby’s persona was crafted through selective storytelling and projection, modern celebrities are elevated (or taken down) through media frames that create mythology in real time. In both fiction and reality, public identity is a carefully controlled performance.
Why this episode matters—especially for students, emerging communicators, and those working in media, branding, or public relations:
It provides a framework for critical media literacy—helping you decode how stories are told and why.
It prepares you to craft more intentional communication strategies, whether you’re managing a brand, working in crisis communications, or helping shape narratives in digital platforms.
It shows how celebrity culture is a mirror, reflecting societal values, fears, and aspirations—but also how that mirror is polished, smudged, and sometimes shattered by the media industry.
Whether you’re interested in public relations, journalism, advertising, or storytelling in any form, understanding the tools of media framing and celebrity construction is essential for your professional journey.
If this episode sparked your thinking, please consider subscribing to Theories of Celebrity Branding and sharing it with a friend or colleague. Follow the show wherever you enjoy your podcasts, and leave a review to help others find us.
For more information, visit bobbatchelor.com or follow Bob Batchelor’s work on LinkedIn.
“Dramaturgy and Celebrity Branding”
What if every celebrity moment you see—on the red carpet, on social media, in a press interview—isn’t spontaneous, but instead part of a carefully managed stage performance?
In this episode of Theories of Celebrity Branding, we dive into the concept of Dramaturgy, a sociological theory developed by Erving Goffman, to explore how celebrities craft and manage their public personas. Goffman’s insight was simple but transformative: life is like theater. We are all actors performing roles depending on the audience and context.
For celebrities, this performance is magnified across millions of screens, with every moment scrutinized, amplified, and monetized.
Using this theatrical lens, host Bob Batchelor, faculty member of the Department of Communication, Media, and Culture at Coastal Carolina University unpacks how stars shape public perception by managing “front stage” and “backstage” behavior. The front stage is what we see—the press junkets, carefully curated Instagram posts, red carpet poses. Backstage is what we don’t—the private negotiations, brand strategies, and identity work that hold the persona together.
Why is this important for professionals and students in communications, branding, media, and PR?
Because understanding celebrity branding as performance reveals how strategic public identity functions—and how you, too, are participating in a form of brand dramaturgy every time you post, present, or pitch.
Highlights from this episode include:
A deep dive into Goffman’s theory and how it applies to celebrity branding.
The role of impression management in shaping public narratives and media identity.
Case study on actor Robert Downey Jr., whose transformation from troubled star to cultural icon illustrates the power of backstage work and controlled performance.
How branding teams, PR reps, stylists, and social media managers act as “crew” supporting the celebrity on their public stage.
The role of “the audience”—you and me—in co-creating and reinforcing celebrity identity through engagement, consumption, and interpretation.
The implications of constant exposure in a social media world where there’s less and less separation between “on stage” and “off stage.”
As Batchelor explains, these dynamics are not limited to A-listers. Leaders, influencers, professionals, and even students manage their reputations using similar tools. From selecting what to wear for a video interview to shaping a personal website bio, the performance of self is everywhere.
We also explore how Goffman’s theory can help us better analyze celebrity missteps and PR crises. When a public figure’s front-stage behavior collapses—when what we see doesn’t match what we expect—the fallout can be swift. But the reverse is also true: celebrities who carefully align their performance with audience expectations can achieve remarkable levels of trust, brand loyalty, and influence.
So what does this mean for your own career or communication goals?
Batchelor closes the episode with key takeaways for aspiring communicators, marketers, and creators:
Recognize the power of consistency in public performance and how it builds trust.
Understand the tools of impression management and apply them to shape your own brand with integrity.
Avoid the trap of inauthenticity: great branding isn’t faking, it’s aligning your message with your values.
Build a backstage strategy—know who’s helping support your brand, and what story you want to tell.
Whether you’re managing your own social presence, working in communications, or just trying to better understand how today’s media landscape operates, this episode will reshape how you think about fame, authenticity, and performance.
Subscribe, share, and listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Symbolic Interactionism and Celebrity Branding
What if we told you that every time you scroll through Instagram, watch a movie trailer, or listen to a celebrity interview, you’re participating in a deeply sociological process?
In this episode of Theories of Celebrity Branding, we dive into Symbolic Interactionism—a foundational sociological perspective that explains how we assign meaning to people, objects, and actions through our everyday social interactions. But this isn't simply a stodgy academic theory. Rather, it is a lens that reveals the inner mechanics of branding, celebrity culture, and the way we construct meaning in the digital age.
We trace the roots of Symbolic Interactionism through the work of key thinkers like:
George Herbert Mead, who argued that our identities are shaped by social interactions and role-taking.
Herbert Blumer, who coined the term and emphasized that meaning emerges from interaction and is constantly renegotiated.
Erving Goffman, whose dramaturgical metaphor helps us understand the “performance” of everyday life—including how celebrities manage their public personas.
We then move from theory to impact—connecting the dots between these sociological insights and how celebrities build and maintain their brands. From red-carpet gestures to carefully curated tweets, everything a public figure does becomes a symbol loaded with meaning, ready to be interpreted, remixed, or rejected by audiences.
But this episode also introduces a powerful theoretical concept: Radical Sociodrama, developed by Bob Batchelor and Kaitlin Krister. We explore how brands like Starbucks don’t just sell coffee, they stage elaborate performances of meaning. Starbucks’ use of seasonal campaigns like the Pumpkin Spice Latte becomes a form of modern-day ritual, sparking debates about identity, nostalgia, and even politics.
Radical Sociodrama invites you to think differently about your surroundings. Every store, influencer, or branded experience becomes a stage...and every consumer a performer. In today’s landscape, radical sociodrama takes you from theory to strategy.
We extend these ideas into celebrity case studies. We explore Zendaya—an actress, fashion icon, and multi-platform celebrity who masterfully navigates her symbolic presence across traditional media, fashion runways, and social platforms. Zendaya’s self-presentation evolves in tandem with fan interpretations, media narratives, and cultural trends, which makes her an excellent case study in the co-creation of meaning between celebrity and audience.
This episode also draws on themes from Batchelor’s The Authentic Leader and his cultural branding research, offering students and professionals alike a framework for understanding:
How meaning is created through storytelling and social interaction
Why branding is as much about audience interpretation as it is about what you say
The hidden power of ritual, symbolism, and performance in shaping cultural memory
And most importantly, we wrap the episode with actionable insights for students and young professionals:
Whether you're analyzing Beyoncé’s latest music video or crafting your own LinkedIn bio, this episode will change how you think about symbols, identity, and the performative nature of modern life.
So join us—and discover how celebrity branding is really about all of us. Then, subscribe to Theories of Celebrity Branding wherever you listen to podcasts. If it resonates, leave a review or share it with someone curious about how culture works.
Episode Title: Branding Archetypes and Symbolism
What do Nike, Lady Gaga, and your favorite influencer on Instagram have in common? They all rely on timeless symbols and archetypes to communicate who they are—instantly and emotionally.
In this episode of Theories of Celebrity Branding, host Bob Batchelor explores the fascinating world of branding archetypes and symbolism, drawing from Jungian psychology, cultural studies, and branding history to help decode how celebrity and brand identities become so sticky, so powerful, and so deeply personal.
From the Hero to the Jester, the Sage to the Lover, Batchelor walks listeners through the most influential archetypes used in celebrity branding today—explaining what they mean, where they come from, and why they matter. Listeners will come away with the ability to identify how celebrities and influencers carefully craft their brands by aligning with symbolic storylines that audiences unconsciously recognize and trust.
These archetypes aren’t just used in big-budget campaigns or Hollywood films. They’re in your TikTok feed, your Spotify playlist, and even your LinkedIn bio. Understanding branding archetypes is like learning a secret language—one that brands, celebrities, and communicators have been speaking for decades to connect, influence, and inspire.
Dr. Batchelor also explains how Symbolic Interactionism, a key sociological theory, connects to branding. Every brand encounter is a symbolic exchange. Every Facebook post, product drop, or press appearance is a performance that audiences interpret and internalize. Brands, especially celebrity brands, aren’t fixed identities—they’re conversations happening in real time.
Whether you're an aspiring communicator, marketing strategist, or just fascinated by pop culture, this episode will help you:
Dr. Batchelor, a bestselling cultural historian and professor at Coastal Carolina University, brings deep expertise to the conversation. His books on Stan Lee, The Great Gatsby, and branding history have helped scholars and professionals alike understand how meaning, myth, and marketing converge in modern culture.
As always, this podcast isn’t just academic—it’s designed for real-world use. Whether you're building a personal brand, launching a startup, managing a reputation, or studying communication, Theories of Celebrity Branding gives you tools to think more strategically about how identities are constructed and consumed.
Don’t miss this deep dive into how archetypes and symbolism fuel the most powerful branding strategies in the world.
Listen now, share with a friend, and subscribe to stay ahead of the curve in media, branding, and cultural storytelling.
Follow “Theories of Celebrity Branding” wherever you get your podcasts.
What if the way we understand—and even become—a brand could be broken down into three essential movements?
In this episode of Theories of Celebrity Branding, cultural historian and branding expert Bob Batchelor introduces listeners to the EAT Model—a powerful theoretical framework for understanding how people and ideas evolve through visibility, strategy, and transformation.
This model—Engage, Adapt, Transform—has been used by celebrities, brands, and organizations (often unknowingly) to shape influence in today’s hyper-connected, image-saturated world. Now, you’ll hear how it works from the person who developed it.
Whether you're an aspiring professional, media student, or someone just trying to make sense of the culture around you, this episode provides the critical lens you need to see behind the curtain of modern fame—and even use these tools in your own life.
What You’ll Learn:
The origins of the EAT Model and why it emerged as a response to a world of constant branding.
How Engage is about visibility and starting the conversation—through story, symbols, or controversy.
Why Adapt requires you to evolve with your audience, culture, and media channels to remain relevant.
How Transform is the highest level of branding—when individuals or organizations shift the way we think, act, or relate to an idea or movement.
Meet Your Host: Bob Batchelor
Bob is a renowned cultural historian, communication professor, and bestselling author with a career that bridges academia and real-world brand strategy. He teaches in the Department of Communication, Media, and Culture at Coastal Carolina University and formerly served as Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications at Workplace Options, one of the world’s largest employee well-being providers.
Bob has authored or edited over 30 books, including:
Stan Lee: A Life – The definitive biography of the Marvel legend.
The Authentic Leader – A roadmap for modern leadership in an age of AI, branding, and purpose.
The Gatsby Code – An exploration of fame, longing, and disillusion in American culture.
Why This Episode Matters
The EAT Model isn’t just for the Kardashians or corporations.
We’re all navigating the same attention economy. Whether you're a student launching a career in media, a manager building your reputation, or a creator trying to break through the noise, you’re being seen, shaped, and evaluated through your brand—whether you realize it or not.
This episode offers the tools to:
Understand the stages of identity and influence.
Spot the branding techniques used in news, entertainment, and advertising.
Avoid common pitfalls of inauthenticity or "performance branding."
Start building a more authentic, ethical, and intentional personal brand.
Real-World Application
Bob ties the EAT Model to his extensive research and consulting work with high-profile leaders and companies. From Marvel to Kimberly-Clark to global wellness brands, the EAT framework helps decode how ideas gain traction, loyalty, and meaning.
He also shares how this model can serve young professionals—especially those in public relations, advertising, journalism, and digital content creation—as they start building their own reputation and voice in competitive, values-driven environments.
And for podcast fans? It’s a secret decoder ring for understanding how your favorite public figures shape their identities—and yours.
Key Takeaway
Branding is not just marketing—it’s modern mythology. It tells us who to follow, what to buy, and who we should become.
Call to Action
If this episode helped you reframe how you see branding—or how you tell your own story—please:
Listen today and start learning how to build your brand—or at least understand who’s trying to build it for you.
For more, visit bobbatchelor.com or follow Bob on LinkedIn and Instagram for updates and more.
Why does celebrity branding matter—and why should you care?
In this kickoff episode of Theories of Celebrity Branding, host and cultural historian Bob Batchelor sets the stage for the entire podcast series by diving deep into the cultural, professional, and personal stakes of branding in today’s media-saturated world.
With wit, insight, and years of experience studying the rise of modern celebrity, Bob walks listeners through how branding has become the currency of attention—and why understanding it is now essential for anyone navigating culture, media, or a professional career.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
How celebrity branding connects to your everyday life—whether you’re a college student building your LinkedIn profile or a communications pro managing a client’s narrative.
Why the line between branding and identity is increasingly blurred, with examples from across pop culture.
How branding influences journalism, politics, and even personal relationships, raising important questions about authenticity and trust.
Why learning about celebrity branding is not superficial—but instead a window into modern power and influence.
How the EAT Model (Engage, Adapt, Transform) provides a real-world framework to think critically and act strategically in a branded world.
A Peek into Bob Batchelor’s Expertise:
Your guide for this journey is Bob Batchelor, an internationally recognized cultural historian and bestselling author of more than 30 books. He is perhaps best known for:
Stan Lee: A Life – the definitive biography of the Marvel Comics legend.
The Gatsby Code: A Century of Dreams and Disillusion – exploring the mythology and meaning behind one of America’s most enduring cultural touchstones.
The Authentic Leader – a modern guide to leadership, storytelling, and identity in the age of AI and uncertainty.
Bob currently teaches in the Department of Communication, Media, and Culture at Coastal Carolina University, where he helps students decode the cultural systems shaping their lives, careers, and identities.
He also served as Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications at Workplace Options, one of the world’s largest employee well-being companies—giving him a rare dual perspective as both a scholar and practitioner.
Why This Episode Matters—For You
You don’t have to be famous to think about your brand.
In a world where visibility equals opportunity, understanding how celebrities craft their image helps us understand how to craft our own—ethically, thoughtfully, and authentically.
Bob breaks it down like this:
Your personal brand is your narrative.
Your reputation is how others interpret that narrative.
And branding is the bridge between the two.
This episode challenges the idea that branding is “just for marketers.” Instead, it shows how branding is cultural literacy. Knowing how branding works helps you:
Interpret the world more clearly.
Avoid being manipulated by media spin.
Build your own path with greater intentionality.
Key Takeaways:
We are all brands now, whether we like it or not.
Understanding celebrity branding reveals how society constructs meaning, power, and identity.
Mastering branding principles helps emerging communicators build ethical, lasting impact.
Celebrities are symbols—of what we admire, fear, or wish to become.
If this episode sparked your curiosity—or if you’ve ever wondered why certain people or messages dominate the culture—then you’re in the right place.
This is more than a podcast about fame.
It’s a podcast about understanding modern life—and becoming more intentional about how we show up in it.
Welcome to Theories of Celebrity Branding — the podcast that explores the powerful collision between fame, identity, marketing, and modern life.
Why do some people become icons while others struggle for attention? What makes Robert Downey Jr. one of the most recognizable faces on the planet? And how did we arrive at a cultural moment in which politicians, CEOs, influencers, and even everyday people are expected to build, manage, and live their lives as brands?
If you’ve ever asked these questions—or want to understand the machinery that turns individuals into icons—this podcast is for you.
What This Podcast Is About:
Theories of Celebrity Branding takes you behind the scenes of the fame-industrial complex. Hosted by cultural historian and bestselling author Bob Batchelor, the series unpacks how celebrities are constructed by media, amplified by marketing, and made meaningful by the public.
Blending academic insight with compelling storytelling, this podcast explores everything from Jungian archetypes and symbolic interactionism to crisis communication, personal branding, and AI-generated fame. Episodes range from solo TED-style reflections to case-based explorations of real-world phenomena like influencer culture, cancel culture, and the global marketplace for fame.
Whether you're a student, pop culture enthusiast, marketing professional, or someone simply trying to make sense of the world we live in, Theories of Celebrity Branding will deepen your understanding of how personal identity and public storytelling are now inseparable.
About the Host: Bob Batchelor
Bob Batchelor is an internationally renowned cultural historian and branding expert who has spent his career studying how ideas, people, and stories move through culture.
He is the author or editor of more than 30 books, including critically acclaimed biographies like Stan Lee: A Life, The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, and The Gatsby Code: A Century of Dreams and Disillusion. His book The Authentic Leader: The Power of Deep Leadership in Work and Life explores how leaders in the AI era can build trust and transformation through narrative and storytelling, while becoming leaders that inspire.
Bob’s scholarship has been featured by CNN, The New York Times, NPR, and the BBC, and his ideas are widely used in academic, marketing, and corporate circles. His writing and research blend the rigor of scholarship with the clarity of journalism and the storytelling craft of biography.
Currently, Bob teaches in the Department of Communication, Media, and Culture at Coastal Carolina University, where he brings together students from across the country and around the world to examine how media, branding, and storytelling shape our collective and individual identities. He is also a former Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications at Workplace Options, providing him with a rare blend of industry expertise and scholarly depth.
Bob created the EAT Model (Engage, Adapt, Transform)—a practical framework that serves as the intellectual backbone of this podcast. It helps listeners not only decode celebrity branding, but also apply its lessons to their own lives and careers.
If you find value in these conversations, please take a moment to subscribe, share this episode with a friend, and leave a review wherever you like to listen to podcasts.
Your support helps us continue exploring the cultural stories that matter—and helps more people understand the world around them.