On-Brand

Sitting in my favourite coffee shop on a Sunday morning, I'm brainstorming ideas for my next blog post.

I often ask myself, why do I write this blog? What am I trying to achieve with this? The answer is - Absolutely nothing. It just feels right to do it.

I started this blog to give a home to the leftover material from my stand-up writing. These mostly unfunny, philosophical bits usually end up in forgotten folders on my MacBook or buried in notepads. So, I thought, why not share them as a blog?

Also, it's nice to take a break from always trying to be funny and do something without the expectation of likes and followers. (Having said that, please subscribe to the blog).

“This blog is not ‘On Brand’ Anshu” mentioned a well-wisher. “No one wants to read serious content from a comedian. It's like a car showroom displaying raw materials used to build the car!”

Bad analogy!

Should a comedian stick to a ‘brand’?

I once did a branding exercise with a friend and I have to admit, I was more interested in what my friend thought of me than in finding a 'brand' to work with. It was a fun activity, especially because it involved receiving compliments.

Truth is, I didn't enter comedy to be confined by branding. To me, that's like corporate job titles. Restrictive. Predictable. Boring.

Sticking with one brand is a joke in the world of comedy. If a comedian is sticking to the same type of material for the sake of their brand, they are no longer engaging with the world. Instead, they are fixating on a specific success formula and choosing to live in it forever.

I don’t have a ‘BRAND’. I have WORDS

Words I can mould into something funny for the stage, tell stories, or express deep thoughts in writing. Words I can use to write standup, a book or a blog.

We, comedians, are not in show business. The glitz and glamour (of show business) is a byproduct of our work, not the focus. Comedians are thinkers. The world doesn't have philosophers anymore, but it has comedians. Could we possibly be the modern-day philosophers?

Isn't that a more meaningful goal to aim for?

I want my audience to know me

I want to be understood not just through my humor. I want to show all facets of myself - the lighthearted and the serious, the wholesome and the intense. If it's not clear to you where I’m coming from, then it will be very difficult for you to see where I'm going with an idea on stage.

I want to build an audience that is up for trying new things with me, just for the fun of exploring a different perspective… a different kind of laugh.

Of course, it is risky. We live in a world where algorithms constantly push us into a narrow lane by serving the same content that we like. Embracing novelty will require courage on my part to deliver it and a willingness from my audience to embrace it.

And that is exciting. The challenge to deliver on this promise.

That is the brand - No Brand!