In an excellent NY Times Magazine article called “The Brand Underground”, columnist Rob Walker expounds on the nature of the indie brand, the identity of those who’ve taken to heart the phrase “Commodify Your Dissent” (though his take on it is “commodify your indifference”):

Corporate branding is a function of the profit motive: companies have stuff to sell and hire experts to create the most compelling set of meanings to achieve that goal. A keen awareness of and cynicism toward this core fact of commercial persuasion — and the absurd lengths that corporations will go to in the effort to infuse their goods with, say, rebelliousness or youthful cool — is precisely the thing that is supposed to define the modern consumer. We all know that corporate branding is fundamentally a hustle. And guys like A-Ron are supposed to know that better than anybody.

Which is why the supposed counterculture nature of his brand might arouse some suspicion. Manufactured commodities are an artistic medium? Branding is a form of personal expression? Indie businesses are a means of dropping out? Turning your lifestyle into a business is rebellious?

It’s not just those involved in skater or street culture, who are the primary targets for the article. Bloggers, podcasters, MySpace people are also trying to figure out how to turn themselves and their lifestyle into a product that generates revenue, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Update: As a counterpoint, Scott Puckett’s article “How Much Did You Pay for Your Identity: The Big Business of Selling Identity to Kids”.