Dolly Parton: Brand Positioning Case Study

Welcome to another edition of Brand Breakdowns. Today, we’re diving into one of the most prolific personal brands we’ve ever studied.

We’re talking a $500M empire spanning music, theme parks, dinner shows, movies, merchandise, and more.

Who could it be?

None other than America’s sweetheart, Dolly Parton.

Let’s get into it…

💼 The Brand: Dolly Parton

A 77 year old musical icon and one of the most likeable celebrities on the planet.

From her humble beginnings living in a log cabin with 11 siblings to her now global acclaim, Dolly has built one of the most powerful personal brands in the world.

💛 The Heart (Purpose and Values)

Dolly lives to inspire others with music, media, and books.

She even started an Imagination Library program that has gifted over 200M books to children around the world since it began.

👤 The Head (Positioning and Strategy)

Dolly’s music and business ventures are all done in a spirit of authenticity and relatability.

In a music industry often focused on trends and technology, Dolly stands out with her genuine storytelling, connection to her roots, and the emotional depth she brings to her craft.

DOWNLOAD NOW: Free 5-Minute Marketing Plan [Get Your Copy]

✋ The Hands (Tactics)

Here’s a few of the ways Dolly has built her empire:

Relatable, Authentic Songwriting: Dolly is first and foremost a brilliant song writer. She’s penned songs like "9 to 5" — an anthem about the challenges of the working world — to emotional ballads like "I Will Always Love You" (yes, the Whitney Houston one)

Family Theme Park: Sure, Mr. Beast used his personal brand to launch a candy bar company. But Dolly has had a 150 acre theme park called Dollywood since 1986 by leveraging her personal brand.

Partnerships with Big Brand:  This includes branded products and campaigns with the likes of Cracker Barrel and William Sonoma.

Movies and Books: This includes her role in the movie Steel Magnolias, her memoir, a cookbook, and a thriller co-written with author James Patterson 

Merchandise: Dolly even has a pet accessories brand called Doggy Parton — not making this one up 😅

⚡️ Steal Dolly's Strategy

For several decades, Dolly has stayed true to her roots. This has allowed for her talent to create success and trust across multiple industries.

The problem for most of us is that we wander from who we are and where we came from.

While there’s nothing wrong with evolution, growing a brand requires a thread of consistency.

For Dolly, it’s being an artist who expresses herself in a relatable, humble way. And this has applied across every industry and businss venture.

What’s it for you and your business?

It may take some time, but start looking for that thread of consistency. It could be worth more than you realize.

P.S. We recommend starting with identifying your brand personality type. You can take our free 5 minute quiz here!

Want this in your inbox every week? We'd love to have you! Subscribe using the form below 👇