This is a quote from yet another great British/Irish personal brand, Oscar Wilde. He was a flamboyant playwright, short story author, journalist and poet in the 19th century with a penchant for eccentric outfits.

What did Oscar Wilde do to become such a great brand? Here is a look at his most successful activities:

Writer

He was regarded as one of the greatest playwrights of the Victorian Era; Wilde wrote and produced nine plays including The Importance of Begin Earnest which still runs in London’s West End. His only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, is widely read even today.

Thought leader

Oscar Wilde was a pioneer of the the aesthetic movement, which was a 19th century European movement that emphasized aesthetic values over moral or social themes in literature, art and interior design. He went on lecturing tours to the United States, Canada and the UK to spread the aesthetic gospel.

Style

He was the quintessential dandy, a Victorian term for a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, language and leisurely hobbies. With the outfits Oscar was sporting, there is little doubt that he had his very own style and personal brand. He obviously didn’t care much what others had to say about him and he did things his own way.

What does this mean today?

Oscar Wilde loved being in the centre of things, he would write and speak for the masses. How would he have coped in the online world of today? For one, he would definitely be blogging as anyone wanting to be a thought leader in today’s society needs a blog. He would probably be working the local meetup circuits, networking and doing public speaking appearances.

There is one contemporary person that could give us an indication as to what Oscar would be up to. The man who has not only depicted Oscar Wilde more than anyone else is Stephen Fry – one of Wile’s biggest fans. Stephen Fry has certainly taken to social media, he has no less than million followers on Twitter, eager to know what he had for lunch.