I only use my Kindle for books I need immediately or free books.
As I mentioned in another thread, I've moved a lot, and at one point I need to cull my book collection. As an English major, I mostly had classics. So, it occurred to me to replace all my hard-copy classics with the free Kindle versions. I really regret that I did that, especially in tossing my great translation of Anna Karenina.
Now that I'm finally out of college and settled, I'm on a mission to replace all of those books I had to toss.
But as for the brand thing . . . meh. I'm a guileless person. I can't really stand the idea of constructing myself as a brand. Actually, I flat-out don't WANT to be famous, so it probably works out.
I mean, I want to be read, but "famous" doesn't appeal to me.
When I was in college, I wrote an article that was published in a major American weekly. I actually got a piece of fan mail for it. You know what, I absolutely flipped out with panic when I realized what it was. I put it away, and to this day I have never read it. I do not want to be "known."