I'm not necessarily talking about clothing and image; dressing for success is always good it is also unnecessary to spend hundreds on new clothes each month. In fact there are people who are known for bucking the trend, as much as embracing it. Do whatever is natural to you...THAT is your brand as it makes you unique. Me personally I'm not into clothes (I'm not a nudist though, sorry to disappoint) so I could care less as far as this area is concerned.
Instead focus on what you unique. For example, if you're an aspiring producer, the types of scripts you acquire and go out with are your own brand...whether you know it or not. Go out with schlock and you'll be known for schlock, go out with comedy you'll be known for comedy, and so on. When you think Jerry Bruckheimer, what comes to mind? Dumb (but admittedly Fun) Summer Action, Explosions, One liners and Boobs. (I'm still waiting for a movie with exploding boobs).
That's part of the reason so many actors and actresses are careful about what projects they do - their past precedes them and can pigeonhole them. That's why some actors try to break their brand - Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Bill Murray, Adam Sandler and so on are trying to be "serious" actors since they get stuck in the same comedic roles over and over again, and eventually people get sick of it (see "Land of the Lost" with Will Ferrell to know what I mean...or better yet, don't).
"That's all fine and good for them, they're experienced. But what about when I'm starting out?! I need to get some credits and exposure!"
That's a very valid concern, but since everyone knows that when you're just starting out you must take whatever you can get (the one exception to this might be going into porn). It is very rare that the first thing you do will define you. Look at James Cameron's first credit (Piranha II), George Clooney worked on "Return of the Killer Tomatoes!" and there are countless others. Likewise, you can go from top to crap fast: Halle Berry did "Catwoman", Cuba Gooding Jr. has been spiraling out of control with "Snow Dogs", "Love Boat" and "Daddy Day Camp" to name a few recent gems, and so on. The point being is that even the most successful people make mistakes - and they have more pressure on them to make the right decision as they have more to lose.
"But isn't branding yourself basically a way of 'selling out'?"
Every day we are subjected to hundreds if not thousands of brands and advertisement all around us. We tend to stick with what we're familiar. Even those who try to buck the trend to save the bucks by going generic and with store brands are still going to a "type" of brand. Their preferred brand is frugality vs. appearances and "fitting into mainstream society" (and sometimes vs. quality depending on the buy...but that's a different issue altogether). Being anti-brand is still a brand and a type of conforming just as much as being a non-comformist is conforming to that group.
That being said, branding is just marketing yourself in a certain way to the outside world. You don't have to be schmucky about it, but whether or not you're conscious of doing it, you already are creating a brand of YOU in some way to others. You're only selling out if you're not being true to yourself. By trying to be something you're not, or by doing something you don't believe in, people will sense that as disingenuous and not want to "buy" you. After all, taste is subjective so what one might think is pure crap another might think is pure genius (case in point - Bjork), but at this very early stage in the game, focus on whatever you believe in and what you feel would be a good representation - and thus extension - of your personality. Being true to that will make you a brand people would want to invest their time in and, hopefully down the road, their money as well.
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