In a world full of noise, hype, and marketing gimmicks, there’s something undeniably refreshing about a brand that just keeps showing up, doing what it says, and earning people’s trust year after year. Charles Schwab is one of those rare brands. In 2025, Schwab took home the...
👋 Hey friends, it’s BJ Bueno here. First off—welcome to all the new readers joining our Cult Branding community! I’m really glad you’re here. Every once in a while, I like to take it back to where this whole journey started for me: my first book,...
Hi there—it’s me, BJ Bueno 👋 If you’re new here—welcome! We’ve had a lot of new subscribers recently, and I just wanted to take a moment to say hello and introduce myself. I’m the founder of The Cult Branding Company and the author of a few books...
At Cult Branding, we don’t chase trends—we decode human behavior. We seek out how people really connect with brands—how they form communities, foster shared identity, and create meaning. So when Google used AI to analyze over 4,700 of YouTube’s top-performing ads, I paid close attention. Their...
This past June, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan stood onstage at Cannes Lions and reminded us that a revolution in storytelling has already happened—we’re living in it. And if you're a marketing leader, the implications are massive. “Today, YouTube is the epicenter of culture. Not forgettable fads,...
Most brands see media strategy as logistics: channels, CPMs, impressions.But the media isn’t just a delivery system—it’s a declaration. Your media choices tell your customers who you are and what you value. Every placement, every partnership, every format sends a message—whether you intend it or not. And when...
Every brand wants loyal customers. But loyalty alone isn’t enough to spark real growth. The brands that thrive—the ones that become movements—do something more: they create evangelists. These are the customers who don’t just buy—they believe. They advocate. They bring others along for the ride. How...
Most brands spend millions chasing loyalty. But the deepest form of loyalty—evangelism—isn’t bought. It’s earned. Cult Brands don’t just attract customers. They create believers. These brands build emotional bonds so strong that customers don’t just return—they recruit others, defend the brand, and incorporate it into their...
Over 25 years ago, I stepped away from the traditional agency world. Not because I didn’t love the work—but because I didn’t love the model. I didn’t want to build something that looked like every other agency. I wanted to build something with soul, and...
What if we’ve misunderstood inspiration all along? What if inspiration isn’t something we summon, but something that summons us? A Scientific Look at Inspiration Psychologists Todd Thrash and Andrew Elliot have studied inspiration in depth. They found it isn’t random—it follows a consistent psychological pattern composed of three...