Artist rendering of the George W. Bush Presidential Library from the George W. Bush Foundation.

With yesterday’s dedication of the George W. Bush Library, there’s been a lot of conversation around ’43 and his approval rating over time. One should look at this as an interesting examination of brand, and how behaviors—or lack thereof—are fundamental to shaping the reputation you want your brand to have.

When W. left office five years ago in 2008, his approval rating had sunk to an abysmal 23 percent. That’s the lowest approval rating since Truman inched out 22 percent back in 1945 after the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It may not be hard to remember why Bush’s numbers were that low, but what’s interesting is how they’ve risen since then. A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll reveals that his 23 percent approval rating has now risen to 47 percent.

Of course, history tends to go easy on presidents the further they get from Pennsylvania Avenue, but Bush’s brand has also improved because of how he’s conducted himself in the public eye since sitting in the Oval Office. His “brand behaviors” have changed a great deal since 2008, and the public is responding.

He’s acted with a cool sense of disconnect (something that many probably appreciate), but adds that, “I’m retired from politics (happily so, I might add), but not from public service.” He has demonstrated an unexpected amount of respect for our current president, thanked him publicly on many occasions and refrained from engaging in publicly criticizing him.

These behaviors have helped to heal the wounds that some say he left on his own brand. While there will always be constituents who neither forget, nor forgive, his brand-approval is nonetheless on the rise. His strategy is working.

He ended his remarks yesterday saying, “the success of a nation depends on the character of its people.” The same goes for brands. While Bush’s behaviors in office may have left him with some scars on his character, his behaviors since are slowly patching those up. 

Tom Shanahan is an Associate Consultant at Interbrand New York.

It's two days after the Golden Globe Awards. While the world debates the fashion, Argo's surprise wins and Jodie Foster's speech, we're thinking about what's happening with the brand.

In our first post, we analyzed the impact of the Golden Globe Awards' and the Academy Awards' hosts on the brands. It's important to note that both are pursuing new directions this year. The Hollywood Press Association (HFPA) swapped Ricky Gervais for Tina Fey and Amy Poehler at the Golden Globes. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) chose Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane for this February's Academy Awards in lieu of a more traditional host, such as last year's Billy Crystal.

Kudos HFPA. You chose well. According to Nielson Media Research, 19.6 million viewers tuned into Sunday's show, giving 2013 the highest ratings since 2007, a 17% increase from last year and a 28% improvement in the coveted 18 - 49 demographic.

As we predicted, Poehler and Fey nailed it, staying true to their personal brands while upholding that of the Golden Globes. The duo was at ease, playing off each other in a way that only SNL vets and real friends could. Keeping up with the Golden Globes' tradition of shocking audiences, they took digs at celebrities, but balanced insults with self-deprecation, goofy disguises and good natured jokes, such as the Meryl Streep flu bit ("Meryl Streep is not here tonight, she has the flu. And I hear she's amazing in it.") and calling the former president "Bill Rodham Clinton." They kept us laughing rather than cringing, living up to Fey's opening promise of wanting "to have a good time," but not "send anyone home in tears," leaving us feeling like we spent the night with old -- albeit hilarious -- friends, rather than a searing stand-up comic. (Ahem, Gervais.)

Viewers stormed social media to praise Fey and Poehler. At the time of this writing, they were mentioned more than 125,000 times on Twitter alone. Overwhelmingly positive, tweets have centered on three themes: viewers sharing their favorite moments, viewers requesting the duo host future Golden Globes and other award shows (including the Oscars) and, most importantly, that viewers tuned in solely because of Fey and Poehler.

So it seems that audiences are clear about what they want and expect from the brand: both a light-hearted celebration of accomplishments in television and film and a glimpse at celebrities as real people who appreciate a good joke.

But we sense the HFPA is struggling to own this identity, as it sometimes went too far trying to be funny -- such as during the speech from its president Dr. Aida Takla O'Reilly, which was punctuated with mediocre jokes and dated pop culture references. If there was a moment for the show to be serious, this was it, as too much silliness, especially when it falls flat, can undermine the HFPA's credibility.

Other times the show went too far in the other direction, aspiring to be like its more sophisticated counterpart. Take the show's opening line, which welcomed us to "the most glamourous night in television." Most exciting? Sure. Most unpredictable? Definitely. But most glamourous? That's an accolade better reserved for the Academy Awards.

So whether Fey and Poehler return to the stage next year or not, it's critical that the HFPA finds the right balance between snarkiness and positivity, surprise and polish, from host to content writing to production. If they do this, they'll be closer to securing a niche for their brand that meets audiences' expectations and delivers an experience we can't find anywhere else.

Agree with our assessment of Sunday night's show? Leave comments below or come talk to us in Intebrand's Facebook community. Make sure to check back in February for a look at Seth McFarlane's Academy Awards debut.

Darcy Newell and Jennifer Vano are Consultants in Verbal Identity for Interbrand New York.

Make your predictions and grab some popcorn: it’s award show season. Our favorite rivals —the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA)’s Golden Globe Awards and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)’s Academy Awards — will go head to head.

It’s their one big chance to make us love them all over again. We can hardly wait.

The most powerful weapon for each is the host, who must balance his or her personal brand with that of the event. It’s always a risk. Cameras start rolling and the host has almost full control of not only the experience of the audience, but also the perception of the brand. Now that’s pressure.

Choosing wrong equals disaster. Take the 2011 Academy Awards. In a too-obvious attempt to appeal to a younger demographic, the AMPAS chose James Franco and Anne Hathaway to co-host. Franco’s couldn’t-care-less attitude made for a live-TV catastrophe. It was a failure that threatened to tarnish the image the brand had built over its 84 years: classic Hollywood glamour and dramatic flair.

The brand tried to move forward, but did it go too far? We got our answer in 2012, when the AMPAS passed the mic to seasoned host Billy Crystal once again.

Then there’s the younger Golden Globe Awards, which is in its 70th year. The HFPA chose Ricky Gervais as the show’s first regular host in years in 2010, though the show has been surprising audiences with wacky antics forever.

Gervais continued the tradition of keeping audiences guessing, but also left them gasping in response to his signature, take-no-prisoners comedy routine. At the podium for three years, Gervais helped to position the event as hipper and sharper-tongued than its sophisticated counterpart.

But this year, both events are taking a different route. Are they rebranding, vying for higher viewership, or simply trying something new?

The way we see it, they’re attempting to achieve a balance between legacy and modernity — meeting expectations while increasing appeal. Will it work?

For the Academy Awards, stepping away from their classic hosting style just two years after the 2011 debacle is a gamble. For the Golden Globe Awards, disrupting the experience — albeit an uncomfortable one at times — for which the brand is known might cause us to question what it really stands for.

That said, we’re willing to bet money on Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who will host the Golden Globe Awards on January 13th. With years of live comedy experience and a real-life friendship, the ladies seem like a natural choice, particularly for NBC, the network that broadcasts not only the Golden Globe Awards, but both actresses’ sitcoms. With serious comedic chops, but a less biting delivery than Gervais’s, the duo is set up to create an entertaining and inclusive experience, a departure from what we’ve come to expect of the show over last three years.

On February 24th, Seth McFarlane will host the Academy Awards — a second play for that younger audience, and a seemingly off-brand choice at that. After all, you probably don’t associate “Family Guy” with old Hollywood. Yet, we think it might actually be a brilliant evolution of brand.

As a Grammy-nominated musician, he’s proven his live TV abilities—like his hilarious bit on SNL featuring the voices of three “Family Guy” characters, as well as his charm-under-pressure during the 2012 Emmys, when he spoke into a dead mic, but kept it together. His song, “Everyone Needs A Best Friend” from the “Ted” soundtrack was even nominated for Best Song, so get ready for a joke about that in his opening monologue. If McFarlane can keep it classy — while cracking us up —he’ll uphold the show’s legacy while helping a broader audience relate to the brand.

All in all, we think both brands have made savvy choices. Only time will tell what will happen when the lights go down. We’re talking live TV after all, and it’s up to the host to deliver. Stay tuned for our follow up articles on both shows: how the hosts did, how viewers responded, and where the brands could go next.

Darcy Newell and Jennifer Vano are Consultants in Verbal Identity for Interbrand New York.

As explored in Part 1 of this look at celebrity chef brands, this group of personal brands is growing at a mind-boggling rate thanks to the human connection these chefs are able to create with their fans. Cookbooks, talk shows and endorsements are just some of the signs that the celebrity chef is no longer confined to the TV studio kitchen.

Mario Batali of Iron Chef America and PBS’ Spain… on the Road Again fame has, in addition to a number of award-winning restaurants, found success with his enterprise Eataly, which consumes a building the size of a full city block that used to house the New York Toy Center. Giada de Laurentis, the subject of Part 1, has recently included endorsing hair products to her résumé, flaunting her luscious locks in Clairol commercials.

As personal chef brand empires continue to grow, are they at risk of losing their authenticity? Will they dilute that personal touch that was once the raison d'être for their popularity?

Rachael Ray is a great example of just how extended these celebrity chef brands have become. Ray got her start teaching 30-minute cooking lessons to reluctant locals at an Albany market. That gig transitioned into a news segment on her local TV station.

Not long after, Rachael Ray was offered a 30-minute slot on the Food Network, based on the theme of cooking simple and quick “30-Minute Meals” – and the premise of her brand was born. Since then, Ray has published more than a dozen “30-Minute Meal” cookbooks, hosted her own talk show (an “Oprah”-type show in which food plays a small role), built a brand of dog food, served as spokesperson for Dunkin Donuts, partnered with Ziploc to create the “Great American FreshOver Project,” founded a magazine – the list continues.

According to Forbes, Ray rakes in just under $20 million a year. So what’s the ingredient behind her success? The answer is straightforward: as Ray’s empire has continued to grow, she’s leveraged her brand as a way to ensure her products have a purpose, her “personality” stays intact and each “brand extension” ties back to a consistent bottom line.

Purposeful Products

Ray stands out as a celebrity chef who produces products that are both well made and born of stories and characteristics unique to her. Her range of offerings continues to increase, but every product has a clear place and purpose within the context of the Rachael Ray brand.

Her “E-V-O-O” olive oil and branded “Garbage Bowl,” for instance, are both extensions of signature phrases she’s coined in her show (E-V-O-O stands for “extra virgin olive oil,” while the “garbage bowl” is a container she fills with discards while cooking to make for quicker cleanup), and her oval-shaped pasta pots are designed to fit side-by- side on the stove for easy emptying. These products signify “little pieces” of “Rachael.” Their names are similarly thoughtful.

From the “Oven Lovin” bakeware set to the “Lazy Spoon and Ladle” duo to the “Lasagna Lover” tray, Ray's product names all pack a “Rachael Ray” punch. These offerings go beyond functionality; they reinforce the attributes of her brands as down-to-earth and efficient.

Personality Infusion

Some viewers balk at her catchphrases (E-V-O-O, “Sammies,” “Choup”) and her anti-“foodie” perspective. Whether you’re a fan of Ray-isms like “WOAH, how good does THIS look?” or not, Ray’s personality is the lynchpin to her success, and she hasn’t let the growth of her brand dilute it.

Ray has carved out a unique personality niche for herself. Known for her characteristic abbreviations, bubbly excitement and down-home charisma, her colorful disposition even carries through, quite literally, to her funky, bright orange cookware line. Ray leverages this identity both on- and off-screen, inserting it into every product she launches and everything she does.

Consistent Identity

Some might raise their eyebrows at Ray’s potpourri of products and endorsements; she isn’t shy about capitalizing on merchandising partnerships, and has even explored opportunities that go beyond the realm of food. But so far, Ray has pulled it off, because she’s ensured these brand “extensions” link back to a deliberate bottom line.

For example, her introduction of “Nutrish” dog food, which donates its proceeds to animal welfare, supports her declared passion for pups and dedication to raising awareness. The brand is based off the model for her non-profit organization “Yum-O!,” which helps children and families learn about nutrition.

Her endorsement of Dunkin Donuts supported healthier drinks – which reinforces her “everything in moderation” perspective. Above all, the foundation upon which her brand was built – “30-minute meals” – continues to be at the heart of her brand identity, remaining the centerpiece for recipe ideas, cookbook series and everything else she touches. Her original show has endured throughout the last decade of her brand expansion – further demonstrating the strength of her brand’s foundation.

Personal brands can learn a lot from Ray, who proves that growing doesn’t necessarily lead to dilution. If these brands are going to expand – to test value beyond their original product -- they need to ensure their anchor brand is strong enough to support the same quality, authenticity and identity. Ray will have to continue to tread lightly as she gets farther away from food and closer to becoming a general lifestyle brand with items such as her recent accessories line.

Maintaining credibility and authenticity is a concern, but so far Rachael Ray’s powerhouse brand has retained a focused power that’s worthy of recognition. Her 2.5 million talk show viewers and product consumers certainly think so.

Carrie Wasterlain is an Associate, Verbal Identity at Interbrand New York.

Giada de Laurentiis is the prototype for celebrity-chef branding success. She knows how to cook, but more importantly, she knows how to relate, and her warmth permeates the camera.

Fans adore her for her vibrant style and mega-watt smile. Giada feels approachable and real. She tells tales of her Italian upbringing, brings us with her as she buys ingredients at a nearby market and even lets her adorable daughter Jade take center-stage in the kitchen.

According to fans, Giada in the flesh seems just as familiar and good-natured as the celebrity they see on TV. The same goes for her presence on Twitter and Facebook, where she has acquired more than 700,000 followers and 280,000 likes, respectively.

Her bubbly personality carries through in her tweets. She creates warm conversations in 140 characters or less using exclamation points, posting attentive responses to her fans and providing a peek into her everyday life: "Gorgeous day in NYC…on my way to rehearsal for tomorrow's show! Excited to answer all ur Thanksgiving questions."

Consistent and engaging brand voice and messaging? Check. From her recipe titles to the fine details of her set’s kitchen design, to the post-cooking scenes where she and her girlfriends giggle over pasta with mouths full, her brand experience is predictably lovely – and predictably “Giada.”

So what draws us so strongly to culinary stars? What takes chefs like Bobby Flay and Ina Garten from the kitchen to stardom?

Consider this the recipe for celebrity chef success: a pinch of food savvy, a heaping tablespoon of emotional connection and a generous dusting of Branding. Cooking shows have morphed into reality shows that are less about teaching viewers how to cook than about building likeable characters with good stories.

The straightforward cooking demos of Julia Child’s day have evolved into rich culinary adventures in which viewers can explore the culinary niches of highly branded chefs, each commanding his or her own style in the kitchen. Stylistic choices from filming style to environment increase the addiction factor for audiences; tight camera shots of vibrant dishes paired with similarly vivid, custom-designed kitchen settings heighten the viewer experience. Every choice, from blue kitchen walls to the style of the chef's outfit, is made with purpose, to build a unique brand identity for each chef personality.

The human connection may be the most important ingredient in a successful chef brand – or in any brand for that matter. Cooking shows, in particular, have capitalized on this idea, and they’re serving up chefs who really dig in to the social, cultural and emotional aspects of food. So what lessons can aspiring personal brands learn from these culinary superstars?

· Offer a personal glimpse

Cooking shows these days let viewers get to know their stars through more than the food. Paula Deen’s sons frequent her set, telling tales of their Mother's buttery inclinations. Giada prepares her delightful dishes for girlfriends who gossip around her patio. Newest personality Lee Drummon shows us what remote ranch life is all about (lots of cattle herding, juicy steaks and rich ol’ sweet “patay-tahs”). Food Network personalities bring us into their lives -- even if only temporarily -- allowing us to enjoy the cooking experience vicariously and making us feel as though we’ve been invited to join them at their dining room table.

· Personalize advice

Celebrity chefs offer more than sound cooking advice. They reveal the unique stories behind the recipes and techniques. Giada doles out tips picked up from her Italian grandfather and Ina Garten shares lessons she learned opening her first store in East Hampton. These personal tidbits not only make learning interesting – they make the chefs who share them relatable.

· Connect through many mediums

TV is where most celebrity chef brands start, but not where they end. New media brand platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr) provide the perfect platform to connect on another level. Meanwhile, live appearances and product endorsements further enhance chefs’ appeal to their fans.

As the limits of multimedia expand, and the potential of cooking channels like the Food Network grow, viewers will continue to demand more from their culinary role models. If brands like Giada’s continue to deliver honest and delicious experiences, receive they shall. And it will be a whole lot more than a recipe for the file box.

Human connection is clearly the key to a great celebrity chef brand. But as that brand expands, how can one ensure that personal touch doesn’t get lost in the mix? Check back next week for Part 2 in the Celebrity Chef series.

Carrie Wasterlain is an Associate, Verbal Identity at Interbrand New York.