Since many notable deaths occurred during 2025, we were left with a myriad of personal branding tips. Join me in learning from the legacies of eleven individuals.
GEORGE WENDT: Everyone who watched the TV series "Cheers" during the 1980's and early 1990's will remember the actor who sat at the corner bar stool drinking beer and complaining about life. And whenever that character would enter the bar, everyone yelled, "NORMMMM!" According to NBC Entertainment, "Watching him walk through that door and head to his barstool, America couldn't wait to say hi to Norm every Thursday night. George Wendt was an essential part of the genius of "Cheers" and he will be missed by the millions who loved him. Norm was all of us. A regular guy who finished his hardworking day wanting to be surrounded by friends and a frosty beverage. We're proud to raise a glass and toast a true comedy legend."
PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: If laughter is your gift, you are, indeed, very talented.
LORETTA SWIT: According to The Guardian, "Loretta Swit achieved worldwide fame as Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan, head nurse with a mobile army hospital during the Korean War in the TV sitcom M*A*S*H. She appeared in all 11 years of the show from 1972 to 1983 – longer than the conflict that inspired it.
Misogyny ran throughout the big-screen version of M*A*S*H in a way that was not present in the 1968 novel by Richard Hooker on which it was based. In the TV version, Major Houlihan, a strict disciplinarian, was the butt of sexist jokes from the surgeons and other men in the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit. Swit, who had the only leading female role in the show, took a stand before the fifth series began. She was then allowed to contribute to her character’s development, making Houlihan more three-dimensional, warm, and brave.
Swit said, "I am a feminist, from the top of my head to the bottom of my toenail, and I favor playing strong women." From then on, Swit's character was referred to mainly by her real name rather than as "Hot Lips" and a more human side emerged when Houlihan broke down in front of her nurses, confessing she was hurt by the disdain they held for her because of her stern manner. Swit's performance won her two Emmy awards as outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series, in 1980 and 1982."
Swit never had another starring vehicle. She has been quoted as saying, "Actors are always identified with certain parts. To some, Marlon Brando will always be the Godfather. That's just how it is."
PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: Take a stand for what you believe in to improve your work product or workplace.
MORTIMER MATZ: Mortimer Matz was recognized as the co-creator of the annual Nathan's hot dog eating contest that began in the early 1970's in New York City. However, he claimed that it was a Coney Island tradition dating back to 1916. In 1975, while publicizing the fledgling New York City Marathon held in Central Park at the time, he suggested that the race be expanded to all five boroughs. In 1976, to celebrate the nation's bicentennial celebration, it was. Matz has been referred to as "a public relations impressario and trendsetter for providing a raincoat to arrested clients to hide their handcuffs when paraded on a perp walk for the benefit of news reporters," according to The New York Times.
PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: Think outside the box to create new traditions.
GEORGE RAVELING: George Raveling was a force in the basketball who left ripples in the marketing, advertising, and personal branding arenas. According to the Basketball Hall of Fame, "The fingerprint George Raveling has left on the game of basketball spreads far and wide. From his playing days at Villanova, to coaching stints as far west as USC, to executive positions with Nike that sent him around the globe, Raveling has touched the game at every level. As a player, Raveling loved to mix it up under the boards and he regularly led his team in rebounding. As a coach, he brought that same toughness to teams at Washington State, USC, and the University of Iowa. In 1984 and again in 1988, he served as an assistant coach on the medal-winning Olympic teams coached by Bob Knight and John Thompson. He broke away from coaching in 1994, but stayed close to the game working as a broadcaster for Fox Sports and CBS. Soon another door opened for George, as Nike named him Director of Grassroots Basketball and later Director of International Basketball. Raveling’s work has taken him to key positions on the boards of the NABC, the NCAA, USA Basketball, and Nike, Inc."
According to The New York Times, "He joined Nike in 1996, first as director of grass roots basketball, then as director of international basketball. He played a key role in signing Michael Jordan, a move that helped invigorate the Nike brand. Raveling was close to Jordan after coaching him in the Olympics, and began lobbying him to join Nike. But Jordan was an Adidas fan. In the end, Nike won Jordan over by planning a new idea: a signature shoe for him known as the Air Jordan." And the worlds of sports advertising, product design, and personal branding were never the same! Michael Jordan said, "I signed with Nike because of George, and without him, there would be no Air Jordan."
PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: When you have an idea that no one has ever experienced, go with it, or to quote Nike, just do it!
DAME STELLA RIMINGTON: Are you a James Bond fan? According to the BBC, "Dame Stella Rimington, MI5's first female director general, headed the security service from 1992 to 1996. She was credited as being the model for Dame Judi Dench's character "M" in the James Bond films. Rimington joined MI5 full time in 1969, and served as deputy director general in 1991 before being promoted to director general a year later." Current MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum said of his predecessor, "As the first publicly stated female head of any intelligence agency in the world, she broke through long-standing barriers and was a visible example of the importance of diversity in leadership. Her leadership ushered in a new era of openness and transparency about the work MI5 does to keep this country safe, a legacy that continues to this day."
PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: Being the first in any important role is never easy, but it makes being the second, third, etc., easier for those who follow.
STEVE HAYDEN: You may not recognize the name, but if you're a marketing or tech pro, you know his work. As reported by MSN, "The advertising world recently paused to mourn the passing of Steve Hayden, a creative force whose ingenuity reshaped modern marketing. Hayden's career was marked by a profound ability to blend strategic thinking with compelling storytelling, leaving an indelible mark on some of the most recognizable brands of his era. His legacy is most famously tied to his pivotal role in crafting Apple’s '1984' commercial for the Macintosh computer. This 60-second spot, aired just once during the Super Bowl on January 22, 1984, transcended traditional advertising to become a cultural touchstone. It introduced a revolutionary product without showing it and set a new standard for Super Bowl advertising, transforming it into an arena for cinematic and highbrow commercial art."
According to Ogilvy, "Steve Hayden was a copywriter at heart, a craftsman who believed in the power of words to move, to persuade, and to connect. As he once said, "If you want to be a great copywriter, please your reader." He lived that philosophy, always striving for clarity, impact, and a deep understanding of the audience. His commitment to the craft, his unwavering belief in the importance of compelling copy, and his ability to inspire those around him set a standard that continues to guide us."
PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: Creativity must never be squashed. There will be people who will understand.
POLLY HOLLIDAY: CBS News reported, "Polly Holliday, a Tony Award-nominated screen and stage actor who turned the catchphrase "Kiss my grits!" into a national retort as the gum-chewing, beehive-wearing waitress aboard the long-running CBS sitcom, "Alice," has died. "Alice" ran from 1976 to 1985, but Holliday had turned into such a star that the network gave her her own short-lived spin-off called "Flo" in 1980. It lasted a year. Holliday earned four Golden Globe nominations and won one in 1980 for "Alice," as well as four Emmy Award nominations, three for "Alice" and one for "Flo." As for the "Kiss my grits!" line, the Alabama-born Holliday was quick to distance herself from it, telling interviewers that the line was "pure Hollywood" and not a regional saying. But she identified with Flo." Holliday told The Sarasota Herald-Tribune in 2003, "Flo was a Southern woman you see in a lot of places. Not well educated, but very sharp, with a sense of humor and a resolve not to let life get her down."
PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: A short series of words, similar to a tagline, can forever be associated with a personal brand - so embrace it!
DIANE KEATON: CNN reported, "Stars from Goldie Hawn to Bette Midler to Steve Martin expressed their love of the actor after hearing the news of her death. Keaton was a celebrated and prolific actor whose career spanned decades, early on earning an Academy Award in the best actress category for 1977’s “Annie Hall.” The film showcased Keaton’s abilities in the realm of comedy but also displayed her nimble handling of authentic and vulnerable moments. Additionally, “Annie Hall” introduced filmgoers to Keaton’s matchless and gender-nonconforming sense of style – immediately identifiable by her use of men’s slacks, vests and hats. Decidedly ahead of her time from a fashion perspective, Keaton maintained a commitment to this sartorial mix well into her older years...The 1990s saw Keaton team up with her contemporary Hollywood powerhouses Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn for the hit 1996 comedy “First Wives Club,” about a trio of women who exact artful revenge on their husbands after the men leave them for younger women. Raking in $181 million at the domestic box office, “First Wives” was welcome proof that a successful film didn’t exclusively have to include explosions or aliens, and could even be led by three women in their 50s...More recently, she appeared in “Book Club” in 2018, alongside Jane Fonda, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen, as well as its 2023 sequel."
PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: Do. Not. Conform. Be. Yourself.
JANE GOODALL: NPR reported, "Chimpanzees seemed to accept Jane Goodall as one of their own, and the public was fascinated by both her easy familiarity with the creatures as well as her groundbreaking discoveries that showed just how much chimps are like humans. In 1965, she was on the cover of National Geographic, and she and the chimps were featured in numerous popular books and documentaries. To the public, she really had become like Tarzan's Jane. In 1977, she founded The Jane Goodall Institute to promote the protection of chimpanzees and the environment."
As noted on the Jane Goodall Institute's website, "Dr. Jane was known around the world for her 65-year study of wild chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania. However, in the latter part of her life she expanded her focus and became a global advocate for human rights, animal welfare, species and environmental protection, and many other crucial issues. She was passionate about empowering young people to become involved in conservation and humanitarian projects, and she led many educational initiatives focused on both wild and captive chimpanzees. She was always guided by her fascination with the mysteries of evolution, and her staunch belief in the fundamental need to respect all forms of life on Earth."
PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: Speak up for those without voices.
SHARE THIS: So many people have said to me, ‘It doesn’t make any difference what I do.’ It doesn’t if it’s just you. But it’s not just you. ~Jane Goodall #PersonalBrandingTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog
BETSY JOCHUM: According to People, "Jochum played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) beginning in 1943, when she was signed by the South Bend Blue Sox, and remained on the team for five years. She was part of the original group that inspired the 1992 film, "A League of Their Own." In addition to her baseball legacy, Jochum earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in physical education at Illinois University and went on to became a Physical Education and Social Studies Teacher at Muessel School for 27 years before retiring in 1983. In a 2012 interview with The South Bend Tribune, Jochum said it was "amazing" when she was selected to play in the league. “I was actually going to get paid for playing a game. Girls didn’t do that back then.”
Fun fact: The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York dedicated a permanent display to the women's league in 1988; and Jochum donated her baseball uniform to the Smithsonian Museum in 1983.
PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: When you have a passion for something, just do it!
SHARE THIS: Be yourself, everyone else is already taken. ~Oscar Wilde #PersonalBrandingTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog
ROB REINER: The circumstances surrounding Rob Reiner and his wife's deaths in mid-December were beyond horrific (his son is the alleged murderer) - and his loss was a huge shock to both the entertainment world and his fans worldwide. Rob Reiner portrayed the son-in-law of Archie Bunker in "All in the Family" and was lovingly referred to as "Meathead." He also directed some of my favorite films, "The Princess Bride," "When Harry Met Sally." "Sleepless in Seattle," "The American President," "Bucket List," and "A Few Good Men." He was also a voice for many in our communities whose voices were not or could not be heard.
PERSONAL BRANDING TIP: Use your talents to tell timeless stories.
What else did you learn from those we lost during 2025? Chime in and share.
Image credits: AAGPBL (Jochum's baseball card), Michael Neugebauer (Goodall), and Getty Images (Swit on set of M*A*S*H).
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