Follow the Feeling: Brand Builder

In this episode, we explore how building genuine emotional connections drives brand growth and longevity in today's turbulent market. Data shows emotion-driven brands see 3x greater lift, double the profitability, and grow value 2.5x faster than competitors focused solely on product features.

Listen to hear more about what's shaping fast-growing brands:

• Since 2000, over half of Fortune 500 companies have disappeared, proving size and history aren't guarantees
• Emotionally connected customers have 3x higher lifetime value than just satisfied ones
• Research from industry leaders including Kanter, Ipsos, Interbrand, and WARC
• The LAVEC method provides a systematic framework for building brand resonance
• Lexicon (words), Audio (sounds), Visual (style), Experience (behaviors), Culture (empowerment)
• Case study: Coca-Cola vs Pepsi demonstrates how emotional assets create lasting advantage, unpacking their growth from 1985 through 2025 
• Why ads with strong emotional pull are 4x more likely to build brand equity

Inspired by the Brand Builder Lab newsletter, this discussion on why the secret to standing out isn't just talking about your past accomplishments but clearly articulating the future you want to build.

Whether you’re building a startup or refreshing your brand, this is your blueprint for turning an audience into a tribe.

Subscribe to the weekly Brand Builder Lab newsletter. 

Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn. 

Buy the companion book, "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" on Amazon. 

💬 Text us.

In this episode, we dig into how navigating your career is like driving a car – you need a clear destination to avoid burning fuel but going nowhere. 

Inspired by the Brand Builder Lab newsletter, this discussion on why the secret to standing out isn't just talking about your past accomplishments but clearly articulating the future you want to build.

Listen to get tips on the following:

• Understanding the broader landscape using the question: "What will people do more, do less, need more of, need less of over the next five years?"
• Identifying your zone of credibility by asking: "What three topics do people ask you about most?"
• Finding fulfillment at the intersection of emerging trends and your natural expertise
• Activating your future vision by connecting your strengths to real-world needs
• Becoming more compelling by clearly articulating your specific direction and contribution
• Using Arthur Ashe's philosophy: "Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can"

Whether you’re building a startup or refreshing your brand, this is your blueprint for turning an audience into a tribe.

Subscribe to the weekly Brand Builder Lab newsletter. 

Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn. 

Buy the companion book, "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" on Amazon. 

💬 Text us.

In this episode, we tell you why being safe, boring, or bland as a brand is a common mistake, and how to avoid creating a brand strategy that lacks emotional connection. 

We'll discuss the following:

• Brand strategy often hides behind checklists and design elements (logos, colors, fonts) instead of creating emotional connections
• True branding is about building communities of superfans who feel something for your brand, not just recognizing your visual assets
• Many powerful brands like Mr. Beast, Kai Cenat, Steven Bartlett or Liquid Death, Skims, ELF Beauty have forgettable logos and colors but unforgettable emotional resonance
• The LAVEC method for building dynamic, meaningful brands: Lexicon, Audio, Visual, Experience, and Cultural elements
• Traditional brand elements are just "vessels for meaning" – empty containers without the emotional substance inside
• Building a brand without emotional clarity is like "owning a gorgeous car but having nowhere to go"

Whether you’re building a startup or refreshing your brand, this is your blueprint for turning an audience into a tribe.

Subscribe to the weekly Brand Builder Lab newsletter. 

Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn. 

Buy the companion book, "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" on Amazon. 

💬 Text us.

Support the show

In this episode, we explore Kai D. Wright's "culture-ethics pressure test" for communications, campaigns, and content. The three-part framework helps brands connect with communities authentically and ethically. This powerful approach gives marketers a way to check if their community engagement efforts are genuine, impactful, and culturally resonant.

Take some time today and think about how these principles apply to what you're doing right now. What's one small step you can take to be more earnest, more empowering, and more empathetic?

Whether you’re building a startup or refreshing your brand, this is your blueprint for turning an audience into a tribe.

Subscribe to the weekly Brand Builder Lab newsletter. 

Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn. 

Buy the companion book, "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" on Amazon. 

💬 Text us.

What's the connection between economics and communication? We explore that question, the theme of Chapter 2 in Kai D. Wright's insightful business book "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World." Learn how Nobel laureates Daniel Kahneman and Gary Becker influenced brand strategy, consumer behavior, and demographics. 

Using our 3x3 format, we give you three (3) things to know, three (3) things to do, and three (3) things to share with others.  

For creative inspiration, subscribe to the weekly Brand Builder Lab newsletter. 

Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn. 

Buy the companion book, "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" on Amazon. 

💬 Text us.

Looking for a fresh perspective on brand building in today's chaotic digital landscape? We've distilled Chapter 1 from Kai D. Wright's game-changing book "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" into a practical preview for inspiration and motivation. In this chapter, learn the power of pattern recognition, get the foundations of what makes a strong brand, and hear about the work of Emilie Wapnik. 

Using our 3x3 format, we deliver three (3) things to know, three (3) things to do, and three (3) things to share with others.  

For creative inspiration, subscribe to the weekly Brand Builder Lab newsletter. 

Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn. 

Buy the companion book, "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" on Amazon. 

💬 Text us.

Subscriber-only episode

In this episode, we unlock powerful personal branding strategies from industry experts to help you make your brand shine. 

With more than 1,000 new people surpassing the one-million-follower mark on social media each month, and over a million people now having over a million social media followers, growing an audience is no longer the measure of a strong personal brand. 

Listen to hear how to stand out in the noise in a way that resonates:

• Kasey Brown's "Stop-Stay-Share" framework for creating emotional content that gets noticed and shared (Get the details)
• Jon Evans' strategy for tapping into your unique voice to go from 0 to 50K (See his PDF guide)
• Ruth Gotian's factors that drive success (Subscribe to her new newsletter)
• How major companies like Nike and The North Face are using LinkedIn and social platforms to find creative partners (Ad Age)
• The transformation of LinkedIn from resume platform to "digital storefront" in the creator economy

Whether you’re building a startup or refreshing your brand, this is your blueprint for turning an audience into a tribe.

Subscribe to the weekly Brand Builder Lab newsletter. 

Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn. 

Buy the companion book, "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" on Amazon. 

💬 Text us.

We dive behind the scenes of "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" by Kai D Wright, offering a backstage pass to the Preface and Introduction. 

In this episode, we unpack: 

• Surprising research from Bill Gross of Idealab reveals timing is more important than team or idea for startup success
• Only half of Fortune 500 companies survive over time, highlighting the vulnerability of even established brands
• Today's business landscape is increasingly social, data-driven, experiential, and digitally enabled
• The LAVEC framework (Lexicon triggers, Audio cues, Visual stimuli, Experience drivers, and Cultural connections) provides a system for creating emotional brand connections
• Humans are "feeling machines that think" and emotions drive our decisions more than rational thought
• Brands like SoulCycle, Airbnb, Disney, and Gatorade have successfully embedded positive emotions in their DNA
• Assess what feeling your brand currently triggers and what feeling you want it to evoke
• Evaluate your brand across the five LAVEC territories to identify strengths and areas for improvement

For creative inspiration, subscribe to the weekly Brand Builder Lab newsletter. 

Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn. 

Buy the companion book, "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" on Amazon. 

💬 Text us.

Subscriber-only episode

Why are careers winning over cuddling? In this episode of Brand Builder Lab, we unpack the reasons behind Harris Poll's recent discovery that 61% of individuals would rather job hunt than go on a date. 

Hear how the creator economy and longevity mindset are shaping the future of work, increasing the economic value of personal brands.  

Get a sneak peek at the ACE method for personal transformation, inspired by Arthur Ashe. 

Whether you’re building a startup or refreshing your brand, this is your blueprint for turning an audience into a tribe.

Subscribe to the weekly Brand Builder Lab newsletter. 

Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn. 

Buy the companion book, "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" on Amazon. 

💬 Text us.

Subscriber-only episode

Why are careers winning over cuddling? In this episode, we unpack the reasons behind Harris Poll's recent discovery that 61% of individuals would rather job hunt than go on a date. 

Hear how the creator economy and longevity mindset are shaping the future of work, increasing the economic value of personal brands.  

Get a sneak peek at the ACE method for personal transformation, inspired by Arthur Ashe. 

Whether you’re building a startup or refreshing your brand, this is your blueprint for turning an audience into a tribe.

Subscribe to the weekly Brand Builder Lab newsletter. 

Produced by Kai D. Wright. Follow Kai on LinkedIn. 

Buy the companion book, "Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World" on Amazon. 

💬 Text us.