The term “brand overpromotion” might sound like an oxymoron, especially coming from a guy like me. After all, I’m the one telling everyone to “sell your value” and “stay strong” in your quest for brand recognition and market share. But don’t promote yourself with an image that’s impossible to live up to.

While I wouldn’t recommend basing your brand’s image on its weakest points, the fact remains that we are all human, which by definition means that we are all imperfect. So it’s okay to base your brand on being perfect or virtually perfect in certain key areas (if you can back it up with your performance), but don’t try to extend that perfection to every other aspect of your life.

I’m just as sick of hearing about Tiger Woods and his marital problems as anyone else, but his misfortunes over the past few months illustrate the pitfall of the brand that I’d like you to avoid. Tiger is the most perfect golfer you have ever seen. Golf experts will tell you that the key to his game is that he is good all around. Even most of the greats had at least one flaw in his game; Tiger really doesn’t.

Tiger cleverly harnessed this phenomenal golf ability in both a lucrative career as a professional athlete and an even more lucrative career as a professional spokesperson and product promoter. People fascinated by his seemingly inhuman skill on the golf course were eager to swing their clubs, use their spikes, and maybe even drive their car or use their aftershave.

All very well. But where Tiger went wrong was when he began to expand his brand image from being a perfect guy at golf to being a perfect guy at everything. The perfect humanitarian, the perfect role model, the perfect husband and father.

I won’t bore you by repeating what you already know. Tiger’s personal imperfections have been exposed for all to see. Because they conflict so violently with the brand image of complete human perfection that he cultivated, they are much more detrimental to his brand than if he had narrowed his reach to perfection on the golf course, where he could back it up. rightfully.

I’m not condemning Tiger for any personal mistakes he’s made and really hope he and his family heal and rejuvenate. But I’m pointing out that there’s a reason he’s continually criticized for his less-than-perfect personal life, while professional golfer John Daly, who’s created a brand image of a lovable buffoon that seems to serve him well, gets a free prize. going through his numerous divorces and very public problems with excessive eating, drinking, gambling and smoking. I’m also not suggesting you go the John Daly route with his brand image, just find a happy middle ground.

Have you ever overpromoted your brand? How did you rectify the situation?