The power of category in personal branding

When we talk of a singer or a music band to a person that does not know them, we most probably indicate what type of music they play. Similarly, when we want to tell a friend that she must see a movie she has not heard about, we probably will tell her what genre the movie belongs to. This is the principle of categorisation at work, and it does not operate only in trivial situations, but in every moment when our brain needs to understand the meaning of something, its place in the world, its use, and finally its significance. Without the ability to categorise, our brain would not be able to make sense of reality, because it would have to elaborate too much unorganised data.

The principle of categorisation was first studied systematically by cognitive psychologist Eleanor Rosch. Her work showed that the human mind organises information around prototypes, examples that represent the most typical or meaningful instance of a category. We do not think in terms of abstract definitions, but through mental shortcuts: when we hear the word bird, we instinctively picture a robin or a sparrow, not a penguin. These prototypes allow us to navigate complexity and make quick sense of the world around us.

In the field of personal branding, this principle explains one of the most important conditions for success: to occupy a clear and distinct mental drawer in the mind of your audience. People need to know where to place you, how to interpret what you represent, and what to expect from you. When this mental process happens easily and consistently, your personal brand becomes familiar, recognisable, and trusted. When it does not, people struggle to categorise you and may simply forget you.

This is why the great masters of brand strategy, David Aaker, Al Ries, and Jack Trout, insisted that the goal of positioning is not to compete within an existing category but to own one. It is far easier to become the first in a new category than the best in an established one. The same principle applies to personal brands: rather than trying to be one among many consultants, coaches, or entrepreneurs, it is more effective to become the first or the most distinct representative of a specific type of consultant, coach, or entrepreneur.

I learned this lesson vividly during my years at Nissan. As marketing director for the C-segment, I had the privilege of participating in the creation of a new category, the compact crossover, with the launch of the Nissan Qashqai. At the time, Nissan was struggling in Europe, squeezed between mainstream and premium competitors. Instead of fighting for market share in an overcrowded segment, we reframed the rules of the game. By combining the practicality of a hatchback with the stance and emotion of an SUV, we created a vehicle that did not belong to any existing drawer. It created its own. The Qashqai was not a better C-segment car, it was something else. The category it opened soon became one of the most profitable in the industry and transformed the company’s fortunes.

The same dynamic governs personal branding. If you occupy a crowded drawer in your audience’s mind, you will need to fight constantly for attention and recognition. But if you manage to define your own drawer, you not only stand out, you redefine the rules of your field.

Think of Simon Sinek: he does not compete with thousands of business speakers; he owns the category of humanistic leadership.

Think of Carlos Alcaraz: in a sport filled with elegant stylists and strategic players, he embodies the muscular, passionate Spanish tennis star, a category first defined by Rafael Nadal and now renewed by him. His combination of power, endurance, and emotional intensity has become the new prototype of Spanish tennis in the collective imagination.

Or think of Dan Brown: no matter how many authors write thrillers, he is the category of modern mystery fiction, where the plot is not only about solving a crime, but about unveiling transcendental questions that connect science, religion, and the origins of human knowledge.

Owning a category in personal branding means helping your audience reserve a mental space for you, be it in a drawer together with others, or in a drawer of your own. The key is clarity: people must be able to say in one sentence what you are about. It is much better to be in drawers where there are not so many competitors, and it is best of all to be the prominent figure in that drawer, the prototype others will use as a reference when they try to describe someone like you.