Actors and their teams seem like the ideal branding experts at times, but at other times they seem no smarter than a stool. George Clooney and his team fall into the first category.

It seems like Clooney is nominated every year for an academy award, as he was this year even though he didn’t win. He has become the quintessential powerful lead actor in Hollywood with as strong a brand as anyone’s.

How has he done this? Simple: Consistency. He’s made sure to pick roles that suit his personality and acting style. This doesn’t mean he hasn’t dabbled outside of his comfort zone, his latest role in “The Descendants” actually has him portraying a character that is more vulnerable and misguided than all other roles he’s played before.

But what does make George Clooney a successful brand is that he understands what his audience wants and needs from him. He is very conscious of what his strengths are and he makes sure these are all highlighted, while at the same time staying away from situations that don’t strengthen his brand identity.

This is what strong brands in consumer products understand. They know what their target market wants and needs, and they focus their efforts on bringing that to the surface. At the same time they don’t claim to have a product that solves all problems for all people.

If everyone is your customer then no one is your customer. Simple yet so often overlooked. Kudos Mr. Clooney.