On December 26, 2009, Yves Rocher, founder of the global chain of beauty products which bears his name, passed away. The French President paid tribute to the successful French businessman and environmentalist. Bernard Angot, President of Bretagne International (the organization in charge of the development of Brittany’s economy), acknowledged him as a pioneering advocate of plants in cosmetics. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of La Gacilly, hometown of Mr. Rocher, will always remember him as a hero who boosted the local economy.

As an Officer of the Légion d’honneur (a high honour granted by the French government), Yves Rocher enjoys great popularity in France and around the world for his engagement in environmental protection. He established the Foundation Yves Rocher-Institut de France, which supports operations to protect and enhance plant life. Mr. Rocher’s environmental activities transfer an attribute of social responsibility to his brand and a green element to his products based on their natural ingredients. This is one factor that has enabled the brand to become one of the most popular beauty product chains in the world with a turnover of more than 2 billion Euros annually¹.

Yves Rocher is not the only entrepreneur whose name in entangled with his brand and whose story is told as a part of the brand’s communication. Take Sir Richard Branson for example, whose brand Virgin owns 360 companies. Branson’s personal life has attracted considerable public attention, whether it’s through another attempt to break a world record or his appearance in a Hollywood film. The personality and life of the company founder always sends the Virgin brand to the headlines in a unique form of brand communication that serves to build the brand in the mind of consumers. 

Some business owners may wish to hide their personality and private life to avoid negative effects their personal reputation could have on the brand’s image. There are plenty of examples of unpleasant personal attributes or lifestyle choices of high profile individuals rubbing off on their brands and business, as we have seen with Paris Hilton and more recently, Tiger Woods. But in fact, it is easier for the public to recognize and accept brands with a meaningful and vibrant personality. As the examples of Yves Rocher and Richard Branson illustrate, positive personal traits of the founder contribute greatly to the brand, and personal initiatives such as environmental protection or supporting education and development can be attributed to the brand although they are actually carried out by the founder.

Does you brand have a personality? What stories do you tell? Perhaps your company founder could be a source of strategic communication for your brand!
 

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/30/world/europe/30rocher.html?_r=2&ref=eu...