A few weeks ago I was in NYC, and we in “advertising land” as my cousin called it. Off 5th, and off of Park somewhere near Central Park where “all those comm. people live.”

Cousin goes on, “they all look the same, you could throw a stone and 9 times of the 10, you'll hit one.”

Needless to say, I wasn't sure how to take those remarks from him, being a PR person myself.

But after much though, I realized he was right. Too often, especially, in our field, people tend to blend it. Fit that stereotype, that brand that makes them “PR” or makes them “AD execs” etc.,

I find while it's great to mold and adapt to your peers, it's hurting you in the process if you forget who you are and what you are in the process.

It's so important and a vital part of your brand identity, because every person is a brand, to simply “go with the flow” but also, be yourself.

Nothing is wrong with who you are. People get jobs in specific places for a reason. There was something special about them that just seemed to “mesh” with everything else. And that's important — it's important to keep that spark alive. That spark is who you are.

It'll never be fun if everyone walked around being the same all the time. No fights, no insight, no growth…just robots, all the same.

A few weeks ago I was in NYC, and we in “advertising land” as my cousin called it. Off 5th, and off of Park somewhere near Central Park where “all those comm. people live.”

Cousin goes on, “they all look the same, you could throw a stone and 9 times of the 10, you'll hit one.”

Needless to say, I wasn't sure how to take those remarks from him, being a PR person myself.

But after much though, I realized he was right. Too often, especially, in our field, people tend to blend it. Fit that stereotype, that brand that makes them “PR” or makes them “AD execs” etc.,

I find while it's great to mold and adapt to your peers, it's hurting you in the process if you forget who you are and what you are in the process.

It's so important and a vital part of your brand identity, because every person is a brand, to simply “go with the flow” but also, be yourself.

Nothing is wrong with who you are. People get jobs in specific places for a reason. There was something special about them that just seemed to “mesh” with everything else. And that's important — it's important to keep that spark alive. That spark is who you are.

It'll never be fun if everyone walked around being the same all the time. No fights, no insight, no growth…just robots, all the same.

Is it SO bad that you like poop jokes? It's not like you're doing anything illegal or disruptive. It's not like enjoying toilet humor affects your work. With the rise of SM, we're learning to trust people differently; a fancy suit and a business card isn't cutting it anymore. Sharing yourself, poop jokes and all, is what gets our trust.

And you certainly have mine, sir. I'd rather sit down and have a beer with you than with a talking head who refuses to laugh.