When Does Accessible Become Too Accessible?

We spend so much time building a pedestal for our favorite celebrities and top athletes and pop icons, but does this new wave of social media break down the image they’ve worked so hard to establish?  With these new tools, many celebs and athletes are making serious efforts to “connect” more on a personal level with their fans through the creation of their social profiles and personal blogs.

The other day I was perusing the internet and I came across Jeremy Jones’ blog.  As I dove in deeper, I began reading about his experience in Alaska with Laird Hamilton, camping in Tahoe, and avalanches taking over Jackson Hole – all relevant stories to his career.  I give serious props to Jeremy Jones for doing this the “right way” in my eyes.  Being a snowboard fanatic and a huge fan of Jones, I truly enjoy reading his blog.  He fills the stories with tons of pictures and inner thoughts about his trips and experiences, focusing always on his passion for riding.  His blog is authentic, and creates a great balance - keeping him on his pedestal as being one of the greatest big mountain riders of all time and yet bringing him back down to ground level to connect with his true fans, friends, and family.

I’ve seen other stars abuse this method, by using their blog and social profiles as a way to clear up rumors and gossip, taking the main focus off their work and professionalism.  Take Lindsay Lohan for example, who uses her blog to address personal issues and confront rumors spread by the media.  She’s helping to draw attention to the negative aspects of her personal life and career as opposed to using these resources to build her personal brand.  Lohan is giving access to anyone and everyone who reads her blog and social profiles - further “stirring the pot” within the media frenzy.  Is this really what she wants her fans to focus on?  Is this something that the people who cut checks want to see out of their potential star?

The bottom line is that there’s a balance here, a balance between being personal and professional, being accessible and too accessible. So when is this line crossed?  When does an icon give away too much?  Obviously the answer is subjective.  It differs with each and every person and how they want to present their personal brand.  The amount of access one star gives vs. the amount of access another gives will and does differ depending on the personal brand they have created for themselves.  Take Shaq for example. He’s created this aura of goofiness and it reflects in his Tweets on Twitter.  His latest tweet when I last looked was “@Jacquayomomma of course not even when I do my numbers twos smells like roses ………..not Lol”.  Enough said.  This is acceptable accessibility for him, but not for someone who is trying to maintain a personal brand which reflects professionalism, or even mysticism.  So when push comes to shove, there are no “normal” standards.  The level of accessibility is dependent on what really turns out to be the marketing goal of the personal brand.