Recollection and emotion are inextricably linked. This means that the most memorable views are often captured by someone else. Think about it. So how wise and brave of Tom Daley to tell his own story. In his own time and in his own words.
Whatever the outcome of this, he can rise above it. He got there first and delivered his message without innuendo and showed us how great is the value of honesty. For brands these days, authenticity is vital. If there is one strain of conventional wisdom pervading every single brand, it's the importance of differentiation. And these days exceptions rule.
So Olympic diver Daley has revealed he is in a relationship with a man. The London 2012 bronze medallist has decided to use YouTube as the means to out his narrative. This is an impressive example of strategic control. Daley demonstrates why celebrity brands must quickly embrace transparency in an open and candid way, before a high-profile TV vehicle catapults them to prime time. Modern PR folk are not simply paid intermediaries to broker a message. Lord knows the entertainment world has made a lot of mistakes, but it's greatest weapon has always been the power to get ahead of all the issues that can derail a promotional bandwagon.
Thanks to the internet, brands can take control of their narrative, ahead of the coruscating heat of social media, and before our mischievous blogsphere undermines them. Businesses should learn from Daley. In a world defined by issues of trust and corporate transparency, differentiation in its real sense is not a tactic. It's just a new mindset that comes from listening and absorbing, in order to emerge further forwards. Courage is required to move into a space that might prove disruptive. But we have to learn to be brave – great stories rarely emerge from a timid culture.
Daley is a celebrity brand embedded into the nation's heart and, like Clare Balding, has a unique brand truth. Clearly the much discussed narrative surrounding Daley has been a speculated on for months. So Daley has taken the step to shape the narrative in advance of a high-profile TV format, ITV entertainment show Splash!, returning to our screens. It suggests the recent Sunday tabloid editorial return to kiss-and-tells has influenced his decision to stop all the hyped hypotheses. Clever. Brands (and individuals in the public eye) require a longer-term view with the ability to react in real time. With a believable narrative, agility, flexibility, a willingness to exercise judgment and a skill for improvisation. Today's world of over-abundance, excess, data and a dizzying array of social technology requires celebrities and brands to produce compelling explanations and demonstrations of truth. It's a fast-moving – a crazy world – it's difficult to succeed. Failing to project the real you will only lead to a painful deconstruction of a spun truth. Daley teaches us some valuable lessons.
We should all be reminded of something we all too often forget. Conversation and business is at heart a human endeavour. Which means that the essential requirement is an acute sensitivity to what makes consumers and the crowd tick.
Maya Angelou sums it up. "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."