Welcome back to Branded: your comprehensive guide to creative branding.
In this episode, we dive into the fascinating rise and scandalous fall of Brian Johnson, better known as the Liver King. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, no worries—Sara wasn’t familiar with him either. Larry and Sara explore how Liver King crafted a wildly successful yet deeply flawed personal brand based on a primal lifestyle, only to see it crumble when the truth about his steroid use was exposed.
We examine the strategies Brian Johnson used to build his astonishing 2.5 million-strong Instagram following, despite living a life rooted in lies. From leveraging simple messages to unexpected antics, Liver King’s approach followed the core principles of the “Made to Stick” success model. Although no guest joined us for this episode, we dissect the branding truths and fallacies inherent in his story, applying valuable lessons on what to do—and what not to do—in personal branding.
Key Takeaways:
- The Power of Simplicity: Liver King kept his branding simple and focused. His entire brand revolved around nine ancestral tenets and a primal diet, making it straightforward for his audience to understand and follow.
- Unexpected Elements Capture Attention: From eating raw liver to raw bull testicles, Liver King used shock value to disrupt typical expectations and garner attention. This unexpected approach acted as effective clickbait, drawing people into his narrative.
- Concrete Imagery: By presenting a physically distinct and almost “caveman” appearance—complete with unshaven beard and muscular physique—Liver King made his brand tangible. His appearance alone served as concrete proof of his claims, or so it seemed.
- Emotional Appeal: Leveraging societal beauty standards and the desire for physical perfection, Liver King tapped into deep-seated emotions. His message hit a chord with those yearning for a particular ideal, even though it was based on an unattainable, steroid-fueled reality.
- Storytelling and Credibility: Despite the eventual revelation that his brand was built on lies, the stories Liver King told about ancestral lifestyles and raw diets were compelling enough to build an army of followers. This underscores the importance of narrative in creating a relatable and engaging brand.
We hope this episode serves as both a warning and a lesson in the importance of authenticity in personal branding. Remember, a brand built on lies can capture attention but maintaining trust is another matter entirely.
