Why being "real" is the new power play for CEOs
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
CEOs are trading carefully crafted, milquetoast public personas for ones that are more real with the hope of forging connections with employees, customers and other key audiences.
Why it matters: The personal brands of CEOs and founders are just as important as the company's brand itself.
By the numbers: A Weber Shandwick report found that 45% of global executives tie corporate reputation to that of the CEO.
- Those surveyed also believe that 44% of market value is attributable to the reputation of the CEO.
The big picture: Access to more media channels — like social, podcasting, newsletters and vlogs — means executives have more opportunity to connect with new and existing audiences based on interests unrelated to their business.
- CEO posts on LinkedIn have surged 23% since last year, while executives like Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, Airbnb's Brian Chesky and Substack's Chris Best are participating in more personal, long-form podcast interviews.
The intrigue: As tech founder Andrew Yeung recently pointed out, "The biggest corporate brands in the world used to be distinct companies like: Coca-Cola, IBM, Nokia, Disney" — now the brands of "Elon Musk, Richard Branson, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg" are the biggest.
In response, communication teams are working to help CEOs present their authentic selves, without going too rogue.
- "It's not about letting them or stopping them," says Felicity Barber, founder of Thoughtful Communications and former speechwriter at BlackRock.
- "The really smart CEOs recognize that it's in partnership with their communication teams and are very intentional about how and when they communicate," she adds.
Yes, but: There's still risk associated with putting yourself out there, says Erin Pelton, co-founder of strategic communications firm Foretell.
- "The ones who get it right are really clear-eyed about who they are, their vision and the audiences that are most important to them," says Pelton.
- The ones that get it wrong are often trying to appeal to everyone, she added.
What they're saying: "The era of slick, packaged CEOs who don't say anything controversial, don't say anything that might get a material percentage of people upset with them or questioning what they're saying has passed," says Hani Durzy, founder of Red Dog Strategies.
- Audiences, particularly those that skew younger, can see right through it and don't trust it, says Durzy.
Zoom in: It's a bonus when the executive's persona compliments the company and its product.
- For example, Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya and Patagonia CEO Ryan Gellert's commitments to sustainability support their corporate brands, while Musk's obsession with defining free speech aligns with what he's trying to do with X.
Reality check: The communications specialists Axios spoke to noted female CEOs or executives from underrepresented communities have to be more strategic than their male counterparts with what they share.
- There can be a double standard for what is considered professional or in command, and communication teams can provide the right context and support, they say.
The bottom line: "You can run a very good business without a visible CEO ... but I think in this day and age, it makes the path to having a successful business much easier if you have a CEO that will genuinely live that company's brand" and is willing to share personal experiences, Durzy says.
More on Axios: Mark Zuckerberg's brand bounces back from robotic to authentic
