Modeling the Effect of Self-Brand Distinctiveness and Self-Brand Expression on Personal Brand Performance
Keywords:
Self-brand distinctiveness; Self-brand expression; Personal branding; Personal brand performance; Brand differentiation; Digital identity.Abstract
This study aimed to model and examine the effect of self-brand distinctiveness and self-brand expression on personal brand performance, emphasizing the mediating role of personal branding among creative professionals in Tehran. This research employed an applied, descriptive-correlational design using a field survey approach. The statistical population comprised contemporary artists, designers, architects, and art students in Tehran. A sample of 234 respondents was selected through simple random sampling, based on Cochran’s formula. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire adapted from validated scales of prior studies. The questionnaire measured four constructs—self-brand distinctiveness, self-brand expression, personal branding, and personal brand performance—using a five-point Likert scale. Reliability and validity were confirmed through Cronbach’s Alpha, Composite Reliability (CR), and Average Variance Extracted (AVE) in SmartPLS. Data analysis was performed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method to test the hypothesized relationships among variables. Results revealed significant positive relationships among all studied variables. Self-brand distinctiveness exerted a strong direct effect on personal branding (β = 0.651, t = 9.28, p < 0.01) and also positively influenced self-brand expression (β = 0.532, t = 6.98, p < 0.01). Additionally, self-brand expression significantly affected personal branding (β = 0.204, t = 2.56, p < 0.01). The relationship between personal branding and personal brand performance was the strongest (β = 0.813, t = 26.65, p < 0.01), confirming that personal branding serves as a crucial mediator in translating distinctiveness and expression into enhanced performance outcomes. The overall model demonstrated high explanatory power and satisfactory goodness-of-fit indices. The findings highlight that self-brand distinctiveness and expression jointly strengthen personal brand performance through their influence on personal branding. Developing a clear and consistent personal identity, combined with authentic self-expression, enhances visibility, trust, and recognition in professional contexts. Personal branding thus serves as the strategic link connecting identity differentiation and expressive communication with tangible performance outcomes.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Sahar Mobasheri (Author)
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