June 6, 2025 • 11 mins
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.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to Brand Builder Lab.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Great to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is your daily dose of creative inspiration,
all designed to help you build abrand that you know really
connects.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
That really resonates , yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
So today we're digging into something.
Well, it's a bit of a spicy.
Take honestly.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
It landed in Kai D.
Wright's newsletter this pastweek.
You know Kai brand expert.
Author teaches at Columbia.
Advises startups.
Quite the background, right.
Author teaches at.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Columbia advises startups.
Quite the background.
Right Definitely knows hisstuff.
So what's the hot take?
Speaker 1 (00:27):
He basically put forward this idea, this claim
that most brand strategy.
Well, it sucks.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Whoa OK, Doesn't mince words Sucks how.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Yeah, exactly.
So the newsletter argues thattoo many brands are kind of
hiding behind checklists.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Checklists like branding 101 stuff.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Pretty much obsessing over the logo, the perfect font
pairings, nailing down exactPantone colors, building these
like massive brand guidelinebooks.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Okay, I see that a lot, the big binder on the shelf
.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Right and they present that as strategy.
But Kai's point is, while thatfeels safe and looks
professional, it's often justbusy work, Just checking boxes.
Exactly.
It fails on the big thingsCreating real emotional
connection, getting culturalrelevance, building that tribe,
that loyal community.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Okay, it's like focusing on the paint color of
the house instead of like thefoundation and whether anyone
actually wants to live there.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
That's a great way to put it.
The newsletter is really clear.
Clear a brand is fundamentallynot just the visual asset right,
it's not about slapping yourlogo everywhere no, even if
that's you know popularsometimes repetition by itself
doesn't create meaning.
It doesn't build loyalty thatactually lasts okay.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
So if it's not the logo, the colors, the repetition
, what is a brand according tothis perspective?
Speaker 1 (01:45):
It comes down to the emotional connection.
The feeling, the feeling, yeah,that resonance, that
relationship you have with aspecific community.
You're super fans.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Ah, super fans, not just casual customers.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
No, these are the people who champion the brand,
they defend it, they telleveryone about it, they feel
something for it, and thatfeeling, that's what makes a
brand powerful, unforgettable.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Okay, that makes sense.
People connect with feelings,not just fonts.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
And this is where it gets, I think, really
fascinating.
The newsletter hammers thispoint because the brand is that
connection, that community.
You don't actually need a logo,everyone recognizes instantly.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Okay, Controversial maybe.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
A little, or you don't need the trendiest color
palette or some super uniquefont.
Those are just tools.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Tools in the toolbox.
Useful maybe, but not the wholeproject.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Exactly.
They aren't the essence of thebrand itself.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
So give us some examples.
The newsletter mentioned whoembodies this?
Speaker 1 (02:40):
OK, so think about names like Kai Cenat, Joe Rogan,
Steven Bartlett, Mr Beast, hugepersonal brands.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Right massive reach, Very distinct presences.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Or product brands like Liquid Death, Skims, Savage
X Fenty, Gymshark, ELF Beauty,right.
Even like OpenAI's ChatGPT.
These are all super potentbrands right now.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Okay, yeah, definitely recognizable names,
and well vibes, right vibes.
Definitely recognizable names,and well vibes.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Right vibes.
Now here's the challenge thenewsletter throws out.
Try right now, just for asecond, sketching the logos for
all of them from memory.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Uh-oh, okay, let me think, mr Beast.
I know the energy the colorsmay be, but the precise logo?
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Hmm.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
With the death.
Yeah, the can Skims.
Not sure I could draw the logoperfectly.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Exactly, or could you name their specific Pantone
colors, their main typeface?
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Probably not for most of them, no, and I follow this
stuff.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
And see that difficulty isn't a failure of
the brand.
It's the whole point thenewsletter's making.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Ah, okay, so what can I do?
Speaker 1 (03:44):
You can probably tell me how they make you feel, or
what they seem to stand for, orwhat kind of community follows
them.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Yeah, absolutely, Mr Beast.
Is generosity and spectacle.
.
.
generosity and spectacle?
Liquid death is rebellious,anti-corporate.
Maybe.
Skims is about inclusivity,comfort.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Right that understanding the emotional, the
cultural, the community part,that's way stronger in your mind
than recalling the exact shapeof their logo.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
So the visual identity stuff, the design
consistency, it's secondary.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
According to this view.
Yeah, In today's world,especially online, that rigid
design consistency is more of atactic.
It helps you look buttoned up,professional maybe.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
But it's not the strategy itself.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
No, the real strategy , the core engine is building
that emotional connection, thatcommunity vibe.
The newsletter contrasts thiswith.
You know, big companies stuckin endless meetings about
creative effectiveness.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Tweaking pixels while the world moves on.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yeah, while creators and newer brands are out there
building real connections, likeat the speed of culture, they're
dynamic.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Okay, so this demands a pretty big shift in thinking
for anyone building a brand.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Totally.
If you want to win today,you've got to stop asking only
the safe questions about designspecs.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Like should we use blue or green?
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Right.
That's not where the leverageis.
The better questions.
The essential ones are who ismy absolute core community, my
people?
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Who are we really serving?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Exactly what do they truly want, what are their
dreams, their struggles and thisis key how do we make them feel
seen, heard, empowered?
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Empowerment that feels important.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
That's where the newsletter says the exponential
value lives.
It's in serving those deeperneeds, not just selling a nicely
designed product.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Okay.
So how do you actually do that?
Is there a method?
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Well, this is where Kai introduces his framework.
It's called the LAVEC methodLAVEC.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
LAVEC Okay.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
It's designed to kind of reset the conversation, move
away from static assets, focuson the dynamic stuff that helps
brands grow fast.
Each letter stands forsomething.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Break it down for us L.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
L is for lexicon triggers.
Think unique phrases, words,maybe inside jokes that
instantly signal your brand orcommunity.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Like a secret handshake, but with words.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Kind of.
It's more than a tagline.
It's the language of belonging.
Think how certain streamershave catchphrases their fans use
constantly.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Ah yeah, creates that in-group feel Okay A.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
A is audio cues.
What does your brand sound like?
Consistently.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Not just a jingle.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Could be a jingle, but it's broader Soundscapes, a
specific voice, energy, the typeof music used, things you hear
and immediately think of thebrand.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Like the Netflix Tatum sound maybe.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Or, yeah, rogan's theme, mr Beast's editing sound
Okay, it makes sense.
V.
V is visual stimuli.
Now, visuals are still in here,obviously, but it's not just
the logo, it's the overallvisual style, the aesthetic DNA.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So you recognize it even without the logo slapped on
it.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Exactly, think Skims again, that consistent style in
their photography minimalist,body, positive, you know it's
skims.
Or Mr Beast's thumbnail stylebright, high energy.
It's the style, the visuallanguage.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Got it, not just the logo file, okay, e.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
E is for experienced drivers.
What behaviors or rituals aretied to your brand?
How does engaging with you feel?
What actions does it inspire inthe community?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
So like the experience of doing a challenge
from Gymshark or the buzz arounda new Mr Beast video drop.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Precisely, or even just choosing liquid death at
the store as a statement.
The experience itself is partof the brand.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Okay, interesting, and last one C.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
C is cultural connections.
How does your brand empowerpeople or communities?
How does it tap into, reflector maybe even shape culture?
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Ah, the bigger picture stuff.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Yeah, building belonging, shared purpose.
Think Savage x Fenty, usingtheir shows to champion
diversity, pushing cultureforward.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Right, challenging norms.
Skims does that too, focusingon inclusion.
They're not just sellingunderwear, they're part of a
conversation.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Exactly, they connect on a cultural level.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
So L-E-V-E-C Lexicon.
Audio visual experiencecultural.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
That's it, and the newsletter argues these five
things are the real drivers ofbrand power.
Now, not the 100-page guidelinedoc.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Not the internal brand book nobody reads.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Nope, not the perfectly crafted value props or
the endless creative rules fromcorporate.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
So what are those traditional things then?
Useless.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Not useless, but the newsletter calls them vessels
for meaning.
They're containers, Okay, butif there's no real meaning
inside, no feeling, no community, no empowerment, then the
container is just empty.
Pretty maybe, but empty.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
I get it.
You can have the fanciestbottle, but if there's nothing
good inside, who cares?
Speaker 1 (08:21):
exactly which leads to this analogy they use, which
I thought was brilliant lay iton me trying to build a brand
just focusing on the staticstuff, the visuals, the rules,
without that emotional clarity,without knowing your community's
destination.
It's like owning a gorgeous carbut having absolutely nowhere
to go huh, just sitting therepolishing it.
Right, Polishing the crown,checking the tire pressure, but
(08:43):
you're parked Wasting gas,metaphorically Hoping.
Someone walks by and says nicecar, while they're actually
heading somewhere meaningful.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Well, the other brands, the ones built on
feeling and community.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
They have a destination, usually something
about empowerment, belonging, ashared attitude.
They've got their community,the passengers, excited for the
journey because it meanssomething to them.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
And the ride itself.
The experience is so good,people don't want it to end.
It's about the shared adventure.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Exactly, not just the vehicle.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Wow, that definitely forces you to rethink things.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Right.
So the big takeaway here foryou listening, whether you're
building a startup, marketing abig company, crafting your
personal brand.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
What's the bottom line?
Speaker 1 (09:23):
It's shifting your focus dramatically.
Stop obsessing only over thestatic assets the logo, police,
the font, debates, the guideline, enforcement.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
And start focusing where.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Start putting your real energy into building
dynamic emotional connections,empowering your community using
those LAVC principles lexicon,audio visuals, experience,
culture as your guide.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
So ask yourself are you spending all your time just
polishing the car, perfectingthe visuals?
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Or are you genuinely mapping out the emotional
journey, understanding who wantsto come along and using all the
tools, the sounds, the words,the style, the experiences, the
cultural hooks to make thatjourney amazing?
Speaker 2 (10:08):
It's a different set of questions.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Totally, which leads to this final thought, something
to chew on.
If your brand strategy isn'treally grounded in feelings, in
community, in empowerment, areyou actually building a brand or
are you just collecting designassets, organizing files?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
That's a sharp question, hits home.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Definitely something to think about Now if you want
more insights like this, morepractical stuff to help build
brands people feel.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
You should definitely subscribe to the Brand Builder
Lab weekly newsletter onLinkedIn.
It's fantastic for brandbuilders, creators, business
leaders, anyone in this space.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Absolutely.
And to really go deep on thiswhole approach, how fast growing
brands use emotion?
Check out Kai D Wright's bookFollow the Feeling: Brand
Building in a Noisy World.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Yeah, it really breaks down how to focus on what
matters, the feelings.
Super practical whether you'rejust starting out or running a
huge brand.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Couldn't agree more.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Well, thanks for tuning in to Brand Builder Lab.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Now go out there and build something.
People can't help but feelsomething for.
Welcome back to Brand Builder Lab.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Great to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is your daily dose of creative inspiration,
all designed to help you build abrand that you know really
connects.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
That really resonates , yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
So today we're digging into something.
Well, it's a bit of a spicy.
Take honestly.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
It landed in Kai D.
Wright's newsletter this pastweek.
You know Kai brand expert.
Author teaches at Columbia.
Advises startups.
Quite the background, right.
Author teaches at.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Columbia advises startups.
Quite the background.
Right Definitely knows hisstuff.
So what's the hot take?
Speaker 1 (00:27):
He basically put forward this idea, this claim
that most brand strategy.
Well, it sucks.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Whoa OK, Doesn't mince words Sucks how.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Yeah, exactly.
So the newsletter argues thattoo many brands are kind of
hiding behind checklists.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Checklists like branding 101 stuff.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Pretty much obsessing over the logo, the perfect font
pairings, nailing down exactPantone colors, building these
like massive brand guidelinebooks.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Okay, I see that a lot, the big binder on the shelf
.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Right and they present that as strategy.
But Kai's point is, while thatfeels safe and looks
professional, it's often justbusy work, Just checking boxes.
Exactly.
It fails on the big thingsCreating real emotional
connection, getting culturalrelevance, building that tribe,
that loyal community.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Okay, it's like focusing on the paint color of
the house instead of like thefoundation and whether anyone
actually wants to live there.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
That's a great way to put it.
The newsletter is really clear.
Clear a brand is fundamentallynot just the visual asset right,
it's not about slapping yourlogo everywhere no, even if
that's you know popularsometimes repetition by itself
doesn't create meaning.
It doesn't build loyalty thatactually lasts okay.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
So if it's not the logo, the colors, the repetition
, what is a brand according tothis perspective?
Speaker 1 (01:45):
It comes down to the emotional connection.
The feeling, the feeling, yeah,that resonance, that
relationship you have with aspecific community.
You're super fans.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Ah, super fans, not just casual customers.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
No, these are the people who champion the brand,
they defend it, they telleveryone about it, they feel
something for it, and thatfeeling, that's what makes a
brand powerful, unforgettable.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
Okay, that makes sense.
People connect with feelings,not just fonts.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
And this is where it gets, I think, really
fascinating.
The newsletter hammers thispoint because the brand is that
connection, that community.
You don't actually need a logo,everyone recognizes instantly.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Okay, Controversial maybe.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
A little, or you don't need the trendiest color
palette or some super uniquefont.
Those are just tools.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Tools in the toolbox.
Useful maybe, but not the wholeproject.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Exactly.
They aren't the essence of thebrand itself.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
So give us some examples.
The newsletter mentioned whoembodies this?
Speaker 1 (02:40):
OK, so think about names like Kai Cenat, Joe Rogan,
Steven Bartlett, Mr Beast, hugepersonal brands.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Right massive reach, Very distinct presences.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Or product brands like Liquid Death, Skims, Savage
X Fenty, Gymshark, ELF Beauty,right.
Even like OpenAI's ChatGPT.
These are all super potentbrands right now.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Okay, yeah, definitely recognizable names,
and well vibes, right vibes.
Definitely recognizable names,and well vibes.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Right vibes.
Now here's the challenge thenewsletter throws out.
Try right now, just for asecond, sketching the logos for
all of them from memory.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Uh-oh, okay, let me think, mr Beast.
I know the energy the colorsmay be, but the precise logo?
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Hmm.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
With the death.
Yeah, the can Skims.
Not sure I could draw the logoperfectly.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Exactly, or could you name their specific Pantone
colors, their main typeface?
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Probably not for most of them, no, and I follow this
stuff.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
And see that difficulty isn't a failure of
the brand.
It's the whole point thenewsletter's making.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Ah, okay, so what can I do?
Speaker 1 (03:44):
You can probably tell me how they make you feel, or
what they seem to stand for, orwhat kind of community follows
them.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Yeah, absolutely, Mr Beast.
Is generosity and spectacle.
.
.
generosity and spectacle?
Liquid death is rebellious,anti-corporate.
Maybe.
Skims is about inclusivity,comfort.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Right that understanding the emotional, the
cultural, the community part,that's way stronger in your mind
than recalling the exact shapeof their logo.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
So the visual identity stuff, the design
consistency, it's secondary.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
According to this view.
Yeah, In today's world,especially online, that rigid
design consistency is more of atactic.
It helps you look buttoned up,professional maybe.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
But it's not the strategy itself.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
No, the real strategy , the core engine is building
that emotional connection, thatcommunity vibe.
The newsletter contrasts thiswith.
You know, big companies stuckin endless meetings about
creative effectiveness.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Tweaking pixels while the world moves on.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yeah, while creators and newer brands are out there
building real connections, likeat the speed of culture, they're
dynamic.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Okay, so this demands a pretty big shift in thinking
for anyone building a brand.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
Totally.
If you want to win today,you've got to stop asking only
the safe questions about designspecs.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Like should we use blue or green?
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Right.
That's not where the leverageis.
The better questions.
The essential ones are who ismy absolute core community, my
people?
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Who are we really serving?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Exactly what do they truly want, what are their
dreams, their struggles and thisis key how do we make them feel
seen, heard, empowered?
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Empowerment that feels important.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
That's where the newsletter says the exponential
value lives.
It's in serving those deeperneeds, not just selling a nicely
designed product.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Okay.
So how do you actually do that?
Is there a method?
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Well, this is where Kai introduces his framework.
It's called the LAVEC methodLAVEC.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
LAVEC Okay.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
It's designed to kind of reset the conversation, move
away from static assets, focuson the dynamic stuff that helps
brands grow fast.
Each letter stands forsomething.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Break it down for us L.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
L is for lexicon triggers.
Think unique phrases, words,maybe inside jokes that
instantly signal your brand orcommunity.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Like a secret handshake, but with words.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Kind of.
It's more than a tagline.
It's the language of belonging.
Think how certain streamershave catchphrases their fans use
constantly.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Ah yeah, creates that in-group feel Okay A.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
A is audio cues.
What does your brand sound like?
Consistently.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Not just a jingle.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Could be a jingle, but it's broader Soundscapes, a
specific voice, energy, the typeof music used, things you hear
and immediately think of thebrand.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Like the Netflix Tatum sound maybe.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Or, yeah, rogan's theme, mr Beast's editing sound
Okay, it makes sense.
V.
V is visual stimuli.
Now, visuals are still in here,obviously, but it's not just
the logo, it's the overallvisual style, the aesthetic DNA.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
So you recognize it even without the logo slapped on
it.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Exactly, think Skims again, that consistent style in
their photography minimalist,body, positive, you know it's
skims.
Or Mr Beast's thumbnail stylebright, high energy.
It's the style, the visuallanguage.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Got it, not just the logo file, okay, e.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
E is for experienced drivers.
What behaviors or rituals aretied to your brand?
How does engaging with you feel?
What actions does it inspire inthe community?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
So like the experience of doing a challenge
from Gymshark or the buzz arounda new Mr Beast video drop.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Precisely, or even just choosing liquid death at
the store as a statement.
The experience itself is partof the brand.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Okay, interesting, and last one C.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
C is cultural connections.
How does your brand empowerpeople or communities?
How does it tap into, reflector maybe even shape culture?
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Ah, the bigger picture stuff.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Yeah, building belonging, shared purpose.
Think Savage x Fenty, usingtheir shows to champion
diversity, pushing cultureforward.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Right, challenging norms.
Skims does that too, focusingon inclusion.
They're not just sellingunderwear, they're part of a
conversation.
Speaker 1 (07:36):
Exactly, they connect on a cultural level.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
So L-E-V-E-C Lexicon.
Audio visual experiencecultural.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
That's it, and the newsletter argues these five
things are the real drivers ofbrand power.
Now, not the 100-page guidelinedoc.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Not the internal brand book nobody reads.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Nope, not the perfectly crafted value props or
the endless creative rules fromcorporate.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
So what are those traditional things then?
Useless.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Not useless, but the newsletter calls them vessels
for meaning.
They're containers, Okay, butif there's no real meaning
inside, no feeling, no community, no empowerment, then the
container is just empty.
Pretty maybe, but empty.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
I get it.
You can have the fanciestbottle, but if there's nothing
good inside, who cares?
Speaker 1 (08:21):
exactly which leads to this analogy they use, which
I thought was brilliant lay iton me trying to build a brand
just focusing on the staticstuff, the visuals, the rules,
without that emotional clarity,without knowing your community's
destination.
It's like owning a gorgeous carbut having absolutely nowhere
to go huh, just sitting therepolishing it.
Right, Polishing the crown,checking the tire pressure, but
(08:43):
you're parked Wasting gas,metaphorically Hoping.
Someone walks by and says nicecar, while they're actually
heading somewhere meaningful.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Well, the other brands, the ones built on
feeling and community.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
They have a destination, usually something
about empowerment, belonging, ashared attitude.
They've got their community,the passengers, excited for the
journey because it meanssomething to them.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
And the ride itself.
The experience is so good,people don't want it to end.
It's about the shared adventure.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
Exactly, not just the vehicle.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Wow, that definitely forces you to rethink things.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Right.
So the big takeaway here foryou listening, whether you're
building a startup, marketing abig company, crafting your
personal brand.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
What's the bottom line?
Speaker 1 (09:23):
It's shifting your focus dramatically.
Stop obsessing only over thestatic assets the logo, police,
the font, debates, the guideline, enforcement.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
And start focusing where.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Start putting your real energy into building
dynamic emotional connections,empowering your community using
those LAVC principles lexicon,audio visuals, experience,
culture as your guide.
Speaker 2 (09:46):
So ask yourself are you spending all your time just
polishing the car, perfectingthe visuals?
Speaker 1 (09:53):
Or are you genuinely mapping out the emotional
journey, understanding who wantsto come along and using all the
tools, the sounds, the words,the style, the experiences, the
cultural hooks to make thatjourney amazing?
Speaker 2 (10:08):
It's a different set of questions.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Totally, which leads to this final thought, something
to chew on.
If your brand strategy isn'treally grounded in feelings, in
community, in empowerment, areyou actually building a brand or
are you just collecting designassets, organizing files?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
That's a sharp question, hits home.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
Definitely something to think about Now if you want
more insights like this, morepractical stuff to help build
brands people feel.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
You should definitely subscribe to the Brand Builder
Lab weekly newsletter onLinkedIn.
It's fantastic for brandbuilders, creators, business
leaders, anyone in this space.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Absolutely.
And to really go deep on thiswhole approach, how fast growing
brands use emotion?
Check out Kai D Wright's bookFollow the Feeling: Brand
Building in a Noisy World.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Yeah, it really breaks down how to focus on what
matters, the feelings.
Super practical whether you'rejust starting out or running a
huge brand.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Couldn't agree more.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
Well, thanks for tuning in to Brand Builder Lab.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Now go out there and build something.
People can't help but feelsomething for.
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