We can think we’ve trained our minds to dismiss over half the advertisements we see in a day, due to the sheer numbers interrupting research, movies, and social media. What we don’t realize is that deliberate, strategized advertising and propaganda subconsciously sticks. The most dramatic displays of this started back before 500 BC, in the ancient civilization of Egypt. 

Before I start, let it be known this is really a two parter; this article deals with the brazen power play of beginning your branding image. It doesn’t deal with the other side—the part where you will need to balance that out with tact and diplomacy. For that, I’d encourage the reading of “The Politics of Image”. 

Ancient Egypt used stone “billboards”, papyrus, and statuary to make sure the importance of leaders were etched into the heads of everyone who walked the streets. You couldn’t get away from it; cartouches of Pharaohs were stamped into every wall, statue, and even the labels on agricultural products.

Egypt was the first place to produce wine labels that would give the year the wine was presented to the Pharaoh, geographic region it was produced in, the occasion it was presented for, and the name of the vintner. In an archeological dig headed by Howard Carter, a room of amphorae found in King Tut’s tomb sported seals and etchings that gave away all sorts of juicy details. 

Ancient Egypt might not have used a monetary system, but that didn’t stop capitalism. Most jobs were government jobs; you’d be building tombs, painting on temples, making bread or beer—but if you happened to be working out in that hot sun and needed more water or beer than was being supplied, you could easily trade or barter for something to be privately delivered. It was perfectly legal. Merchants stepped outside the barriers of government employment all the time. Eventually, they’d start marketing their products on clay tablets, and on their products themselves. Different areas of Egypt had different labels on products to make them stand out in big marketplaces. They used color and words just like the graphic designs you see today. 

Ramses II had to be one of the most dramatic advertisers when it came to personal branding. He even had his own color scheme; red and gold. Red was a very critical representation of competition, war, and virility. Gold, of course, was pure visual, shiny abundance. And most importantly, it was the color of the gods. When people passed into the afterlife, they’d represent themselves with golden skin in their tombs, as a way of saying they were just like gods and wanted to be included in that elite, spiritual circle. 

Mummification even became industrialized, and eventually stamped the first “toe tags” onto clay labels for identification, strapping them to the body. The industry became so big there was different price deals. If you had enough money, you could get that deluxe package that guaranteed the entire 70 days of mummification, along with that precious gold skin representation either on your mask or coffin, and a nice collection of shabtis in a box. Poorer folks had to opt for fewer days in natron salts, and they’d probably not stuff your eyes with linen to keep them from sinking in. 

In a nutshell, if you want to be big, take a tablet out of Ramses the Great’s temple wall. Make yourself bigger than everybody else, and make known what you want people to believe—visually. Image is king. Take the temple of Abu Simbel, for example. 

Ramses made sure people believed he won the war with the Hittites at Kedesh. In reality, the Egyptians were ambushed, and both sides suffered big losses. They came to a draw, but Ramses told everyone through the art reliefs on his temples that he’d won that battle. People believed it. There are multiple representations of the Egyptian king on a chariot in a full-out warrior stance, conquering his enemies (who are drawn very small in comparison and held by the hair). He’s basically creating the world’s oldest propaganda billboard. 

Why does this work?

The majority of people do have the wits about them to decipher fantasy from reality. But human nature is a funny thing; psychological biases and predispositions make our brains vulnerable to falsehoods. In other words, even if people learn something is not exactly right, the images and repetition will make them want to believe. And they usually will choose to do so. In the case of Ramses the Great, it was a time when people wanted a king who could protect them from the cruel invaders of an old world. The nationalism was strong. In addition, they wanted a leader who had an “in” with the gods. They were already conditioned to believing his might. Now let’s take a more modern example; David Bowie. It’s not a very known piece of trivia, but Bowie’s popularity was sort of “half faked” by his manager, Tony DeFries. He came to perform in Los Angeles in the early seventies as “some mysterious Englishman” practically unknown in America. DeFries spent a ton of their (an unheard of 50/50 split) money on fancy cars, clothes and an entourage, making Bowie look like someone who looked important. This led to a few crafty negotiations with venues in Cali, and a strange deal with RCA to fund his tour on a low interest loan. RCA didn’t know him well, either. DeFries was a gambling man who could take a negotiation and turn it his way almost every time. He was good at it. 

Now it was all up to Bowie, who did not disappoint when he hit the stage for the first time in the US. He didn’t get there out of popularity. His popularity was created before he got there. And of course, it worked. Again.

Whether we like it or not, image is crucial to success. In entertainment; music, art shows, performances, etc., people want an escape. Too much heavy, miserable reality is just not healthy. Performers are almost medicinal. The majority needs the fantasy. 

This relates to today’s branding and advertising in a big way. The same ideas still work; we just aren’t etching ourselves into temples with rocks and chisels. We have Photoshop and iPhones. 

You must become a creator; tell the story you want people to hear in a way that people can see with their eyes, and broadcast it over and over again. Make yourself bigger than you are. One of the major roadblocks to success as an entertainer is guilt and self doubt. We’re taught from childhood that putting ourselves out there is a selfish task. This mindset completely contradicts what audiences are looking for, so one must learn to let that fear go. An audience can smell fear and guilt, and you can find yourself mentally torn apart from those public displays of weakness. 

Thought becomes reality the minute it’s published. Learn to challenge traditional norms. Challenge yourself. Ask questions. Try different ideas and see what sticks. And above everything else, don’t be afraid to paint your story out loud.