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Creativity

How a Fictional Character Drove 62% Sales Growth

I’ve spent years helping brands build communities. 

And I’ve seen time and again that the brands winning today aren’t the loudest—they’re the ones that become part of culture.

One of the most powerful recent examples I came across didn’t involve a real spokesperson or influencer.. 

It involved an entirely fictional character from a Brazilian soap opera.

Yes, fictional.

Here’s what happened: A leading electric vehicle company, BYD, launched a national campaign in Brazil by embedding itself directly into a primetime telenovela. The brand hired a character—an imaginary chief creative officer—who developed in-show commercials for the brand. What made it remarkable is that those ads weren’t just part of the storyline—they were brought to life across real-world channels: TV, social media, retail displays, and even a major Brazilian variety show.

And it worked. 

The campaign led to a 62.3% increase in sales, a 23.6x return on ad spend, and a 45% jump in in-store visits.

I don’t share this to suggest you need to find the next soap opera to feature your brand. 

I share it because it illustrates a much deeper truth that every executive should understand:

Culture is the Gateway to Relevance

In Brazil, telenovelas aren’t just shows—they’re rituals. They’re part of the social fabric. The brand didn’t just advertise—it entered the story people were already telling themselves. That’s the kind of relevance money can’t buy.

Emotion Beats Promotion

The campaign didn’t lead with features or benefits. It led with a narrative. It made people feel something. When you strike the right emotional chord, people don’t just remember your brand—they welcome it into their lives.

Entertainment Is the Most Effective Advertising

Let’s be honest—most advertising today gets ignored. People scroll past it, skip it, block it. But give them something they want to watch, and they’ll lean in. That’s not a trend—it’s human nature.

Fiction Can Create Real Impact

It might seem odd to bet on a fictional spokesperson. But here’s the thing: meaning matters more than medium. The character symbolized creativity, hope, and progress—and that’s what the audience connected with.

Here’s my takeaway: People don’t talk about products. They talk about stories. And the brands that understand this—who participate in culture instead of trying to interrupt it—are the ones that grow.

At The Cult Branding Company, this is what we do. We help brands find their emotional center, build powerful stories, and earn a place in the hearts of their customers.

Because when you become part of the story, everything else follows.

Want to take this further? 

I can help translate these insights into your market, your audience, and your brand. 

Let’s talk.

P.S. If this resonated with you, don’t miss our latest white paper: Cult. Creative. It features cutting-edge research on building culturally magnetic brands in the age of distraction—plus a curated collection of some of the best TV spots ever made to inspire you and your team. You won’t download a PDF—you’ll view it live, right in Google Slides. Click here and request access to explore the work.

April 11, 2025 by

DUDE Wipes: The Power of Word-of-Mouth and a Dash of Humor

From one dude to another, have you heard the tale of DUDE Wipes? This brand is making waves—clean ones, of course—and their story is spreading far and wide. It’s a testament to just how powerful word-of-mouth marketing can be.

A buddy recently raved about DUDE Wipes, and after diving in, it’s easy to see why they’re crushing it. But this brand isn’t just about selling wipes; it’s about building something bigger—a movement, a vibe, and a community of dudes who appreciate humor, innovation, and a great product.

At the helm of it all is CEO Sean Riley, who’s not only focused on delivering a quality product but is also passionate about sharing advice to help other entrepreneurs grow their businesses. Talk about wiping away barriers to success!

What sets DUDE Wipes apart is their unique approach to branding. It’s the puns, the laughs, and the unfiltered fun they bring to the table. Whether it’s a clever tweet that makes you chuckle or a hilarious TikTok that gets shared a million times, this isn’t just a brand—it’s a vibe.

DUDE Wipes has mastered the art of making bathroom humor relatable and enjoyable. They’ve taken a simple product and infused it with personality, creating a wave of witty, bathroom-humor joy that resonates with their audience.

The takeaway? 

DUDE Wipes isn’t just cleaning up in their category—they’re redefining it. Their success shows the power of blending quality products with authentic branding, humor, and a strong community vibe.

December 15, 2024 by

Elevating Creative Projects Beyond the Written Brief

The journey from concept to completion is often paved with challenges and opportunities in creative work. 

Traditionally, this journey begins with a written creative brief—a document designed to guide and inform the creative process. 

However, the effectiveness of written briefs has been a topic of much debate. 

While these documents are born from the desire for efficiency, their role in fostering truly impactful creative work must be more precise.

The essence of successful creative projects lies not in the meticulous documentation of ideas but in the dynamic and engaging interactions between those who envision the project and the creatives who bring it to life. 

This post explores that the most successful creative work stems from a foundation built on written briefs rather than meaningful conversations and collaborations.

The Limitations of Written Briefs

Written creative briefs, while helpful, can inadvertently become a crutch for both the issuer and the receiver. For the issuer, there is a tendency to ‘dump’ everything onto the page—every thought, every guideline, every expected outcome. This can lead to a brief that’s more overwhelming than enlightening, obscuring the project’s core objectives beneath a pile of details.

For creatives, a detailed brief might seem like a treasure map, but it can sometimes limit the scope of their imagination. There is a risk of using the brief not as a springboard for innovative ideas but as a justification for delivering work that ticks boxes without transcending them. The true potential of creative work is not in fulfilling a checklist but in exploring the uncharted territories that lie beyond predefined boundaries.

The Power of Conversation

The most effective way to bridge the gap between vision and execution is through conversation. A dialogue between the project’s stakeholders and the creative team can do what a written brief often cannot—inspire, clarify, and energize. Conversations allow for the exchange of ideas in real-time, the clarification of doubts, and the discovery of new possibilities. They set the stage for success by defining clear goals and highlighting areas ripe for innovation.

Moreover, conversations are dynamic. They evolve as the project progresses, allowing for continuous feedback and adaptation. This flexibility is crucial in creative endeavors, where the outcome might be far from the initial concept. Recording these conversations ensures that every insight and instruction is preserved, providing a living document far more adaptable and useful than any written brief.

Building a Foundation for Success

Engaging in ongoing dialogue throughout the creative process is about more than just ensuring that everyone is on the same page. It is about learning, adapting, and adding value at every turn. It involves investing time and passion into the project, building relationships, and fostering an environment where creativity can flourish.

The message is clear: Stepping away from the crutch of written briefs can unlock a world of potential. By prioritizing direct communication, we can create a foundation for effective and genuinely exceptional creative work.

The journey from concept to reality in the creative world involves exploration and discovery. 

By embracing the power of conversation and collaboration, we can achieve successful outcomes imbued with innovation and passion. 

Set aside the written briefs and engage in the rich, ongoing dialogues that pave the way for remarkable creative achievements.

March 14, 2024 by

Mastering the Art of Audience Engagement: Lessons from a Disney Imagineer

Understanding your audience is more than a skill. 

It’s an art form and science. 

Marty Sklar, the past president of Disney’s Imagineering Division, shared a profound insight that beautifully encapsulates this art. 

He said, “Know your audience; wear your guests’ shoes, that is, don’t forget the human factor; organize the flow of people and ideas; create a ‘wienie’ (Walt Disney’s term for a visual magnet); communicate with visual literacy; avoid overload—create turn-ons; tell one story at a time; avoid contradictions—maintain identity; for every ounce of treatment provide a ton full of treat; keep it up.” 

Let’s explore what this means for you as a leader in your organization.

1. Know Your Audience:

Every decision, product, and communication must be tailored to your audience’s needs, desires, and interests. It’s about understanding their challenges, their pains, and their aspirations. This understanding forms the backbone of effective leadership and product development.

2. Wear Your Guests’ Shoes:

Empathy is crucial. Step into the shoes of those you serve. This isn’t just about understanding their needs but feeling their journey. This human-centric approach ensures your decisions resonate with your audience on a deeper level.

3. Organize the Flow of People and Ideas:

Efficient organization isn’t just about logistics; it’s about creating a seamless flow of ideas and people. This means fostering an environment where communication is fluid and collaboration is encouraged.

4. Create a Visual Magnet:

In Disney’s terms, a ‘wienie’ attracts attention. This could be your flagship product, a unique selling proposition, or a brand story. It’s about creating something that draws people in.

5. Communicate with Visual Literacy:

In a world dominated by media, the ability to communicate visually is paramount. This doesn’t mean just aesthetics; it’s about conveying your message clearly and engagingly through visuals.

6. Avoid Overload—Create Turn-ons:

Information overload is a real issue. The key is to provide enough to intrigue and inform, not overwhelm. This means prioritizing what’s important and making it engaging.

7. Tell One Story at a Time:

Focus is essential. Trying to tell too many stories simultaneously can lead to confusion. Stick to one narrative at a time to ensure your message is received loudly and clearly.

8. Avoid Contradictions—Maintain Identity:

Consistency in your messaging and actions builds trust. Contradictions can lead to confusion and a dilution of your brand identity.

9. For Every Ounce of Treatment, Provide a Ton Full of Treats:

Every interaction with your audience should leave them feeling enriched. This could mean providing exceptional value, unforgettable experiences, or insightful knowledge.

10. Keep it Up:

Consistency is key. It’s not about one-off achievements but about maintaining these principles consistently over time.

Embracing these principles from Marty Sklar offers more than just a roadmap for engaging with your audience. 

It provides a philosophy for impactful leadership and memorable branding. 

Integrating these insights into your strategy can transform how your organization connects with its audience, creating customers, loyal advocates, and a lasting legacy.

February 1, 2024 by

CocaCola’s Executive Luncheon

A few years back, I had the honor of being the keynote speaker at The Coca-Cola Company- executive luncheon. It was about unveiling a fun-fizzed campaign we brewed for 7-Eleven, shining the spotlight on the iconic Slurpee.

Amidst a crowded frozen drink scene, Slurpee stood out as a sip of spontaneous fun.

Our campaign idea?

Every slurp invites you to a world of spontaneity.

We dipped into the essence of Cult Branding, selling not just a drink but a lifestyle of spontaneous joy.

Echoing Jimmy Buffet’s mantra, we stirred fun into the brand narrative, making Slurpee not just a drink but a ticket to spontaneity.

Engaging with Coca-Cola’s visionaries, we explored how brands could blend with lifestyle, making every product a gateway to a fun-filled narrative.

The Slurpee brand is about spontaneous joy, reminding us that when a brand endorses a lifestyle, it resonates with like-minded individuals, and that’s how you start speaking to the heart of your most valuable customer.

Your brand lover.

November 27, 2023 by

Pixar’s Magic Storytelling Lessons for Every CMO

As a CMO, your job is to tell your brand’s story, making it resonate with your audience. So, why not learn from the masters of storytelling themselves – Pixar? Known for its heartwarming and memorable narratives, Pixar has revolutionized the art of storytelling. Here’s how Pixar’s storytelling tips can be translated into your marketing strategy:

Characters Over Successes:

Pixar believes the characters’ efforts are more admirable than their triumphs. This philosophy can be implemented in your brand storytelling. Highlight your brand’s struggles, challenges, and journey, making your brand relatable and human.

Audience First:

Pixar emphasizes creating interesting content for the audience rather than what’s fun to develop as a writer. As a CMO, always prioritize your audience’s perspective. Align your content and storytelling with your audience’s interests, needs, and aspirations.

Simplicity is Key:

“Less is More” – this applies to Pixar’s storytelling and your brand narrative. Avoid over-complicating your story. Keep your brand message focused, clear, and straightforward. Simplicity fosters comprehension and memorability.

The ‘Once Upon a Time’ Formula:

Consider Pixar’s simple yet effective narrative outline. It can serve as a useful blueprint for your brand storytelling, helping to create a compelling narrative that keeps your audience hooked from beginning to end.

Challenge the Comfort Zone:

Just as Pixar challenges its characters with their opposites, challenge your brand to venture beyond its comfort zone. This stimulates innovation and growth and creates engaging narratives of transformation and evolution.

Start with the End:

A clear vision of your end goal can guide your brand’s journey and narrative. It provides direction, helps maintain focus, and facilitates strategic planning.

Passion Fuels Narratives:

Pixar encourages storytellers to share narratives they’re passionate about. Likewise, your brand story should reflect the core values and missions that drive your passion. This creates an authentic and engaging narrative that resonates deeply with your audience.

No Work is Wasted:

All efforts, even those that don’t make it to the final cut contribute to the richness and depth of your brand story. Embrace this philosophy, valuing every idea, effort, and experiment as stepping stones in your brand’s journey.

Pixar’s guidelines serve as excellent guiding principles. However, storytelling is an art. So embrace these lessons, adapt them to your narrative, and watch your brand come alive.

July 17, 2023 by

Mastering Narrative Devices for Authentic Brand Storytelling

Narrative Device is a strategy to communicate the brand’s story.

Should the brand use a first-person narrative? “We crafted this product for a unique blend of style and functionality.”

Or should the brand adopt a third-person perspective? “When customers get their hands on this product, they immediately notice its unique blend of style and functionality.”

Or perhaps even the second person? “Imagine discovering a product that perfectly blends style with functionality. That’s what you get with this.”

Narrative Device is another way of qualifying the brand’s “voice.” And any marketer worth their salt will tell you that once you nail the Narrative Device, the brand story comes to life almost on its own.

Consider the poetic style of Charles Bukowski.

In many of his poems, Bukowski bares his soul, revealing his authentic self behind the facade of a cynical performance artist. This is the power of a well-chosen narrative device—it allows us to see the soft marshmallow center beneath the hardened exterior.

The lesson for brands is clear: to craft compelling narratives, we need to strip away the “corporate” facade, dig into the brand’s core values, and let our authentic selves shine. This requires recognizing our brand personas and giving them a platform—let them tell our brand stories for us.

For instance, the authentic Bukowski is the guy who woke up before dawn to write. The other Bukowski was a persona—a protective facade. Similarly, brands need to acknowledge their different facets and allow each one to take the stage when it’s their time to shine.

The key to nailing Narrative Device is learning to get out of our way and let the brand’s unique ‘voice’ or ‘voices’ sing. This is how you connect with empowered consumers on a deeper level—by allowing your brand’s true colors to show, even when it feels risky or uncomfortable. Remember, the bluebirds in our brands resonate most powerfully with consumers.

July 10, 2023 by

Never Have Nothing To Say: The Simple Strategy to Boost Your Brainstorming Capabilities

Do brainstorming sessions stress you out? Does the command to ‘just write down everything that comes into your head for the next five minutes’ short-circuit your brain, leaving you unable to conceive of any idea except perhaps having a medical emergency before it’s your turn to read your list to the group?

That’s way too much drama and anxiety to have to fit into your workday. Here’s a simple hack you can use to completely eliminate brainstorming performance anxiety from your life. It’ll take you twenty minutes a week, and will enrich your creative abilities at work, on any independent projects you’ve got going, and even in your personal life.

Gear Up Before the Game Starts: Understanding Brainstorming

Whether you’re playing DnD or Call of Duty, it’s essential your character is sufficiently armed to survive the coming adventure. You can play the game without ammo, but it’s not going to go well.

Brainstorming works the same way. Ideas are the ammo you need to succeed well in the environment. Gear up before you get started, and you’re going to do better and last longer.

Brainstorming Explained

During brainstorming sessions, you’re being asked for ideas. You’re not being asked to conceive of those ideas spontaneously in the moment, nor is it necessary for these ideas to be unique to you. You really only need to share things you’ve seen, heard, or thought previously in your life. 

Simplify your life and be prepared for every brainstorming meeting by collecting good ideas on an ongoing basis. If you capture one good idea a day for a month, you’ll have 30 things you could potentially say during that brainstorming session. Don’t rely on your memory to do this for you. Instead, use your favorite tech to create a file you can add to easily.

Then, before your next brainstorming session, take some time to review the ideas you’ve collected. Not every idea is going to be immediately relevant to whatever your organization’s goals might be, but every idea does demonstrate your ability to bring something fresh and new to the conversation. With a little prep, brainstorming sessions can help cement your reputation as a creative thinker. 

Building Your Idea Inventory

One simple way to build your idea inventory is to set up an email to yourself every day, which asks: What good idea did you see today? Commit to answering yourself. It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes. Add links that you might want to reference later, hit reply, and that’s it for the day.

Now the question is: where will you find good ideas? The answer is everywhere you look for them. It may be seeing the cashier at the corner store defuse an angry customer. It may be a stuffed animal that converts into a backpack. It may be something that’s happening in your industry, or something totally outside of your field entirely. You may find good ideas studying history, geeking out about the future, playing games, zoning out, or having fun with the kids. 

When you encounter the good idea, make a mental note of it. Then when it’s time to handle your email, you’ll have something to say. Over the course of time, you’ll find yourself noticing more and more good ideas. That’s the nature of the creative practice – once you’re more comfortable in your ability to spot good ideas, you can become more selective with which ones you choose to capture. But right now, if you’re in a point where you’re stressed out about brainstorming, just focus on finding one each day – and you’ll never, ever have nothing to say.

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Discover the power of innovation with Cult Branding’s Creativity Workshop for Executives and their teams. Our customized, high-impact program combines proven techniques and hands-on activities to foster a culture of creative thinking. Elevate your team’s potential and unlock breakthrough ideas for success. Visit www.cultbranding.com or reply to this email to get started!

May 9, 2023 by

Why Does My Team Have Such a Hard Time Being Creative?

Have you ever said “We need some new ideas & fresh thinking” only to have your team looking back at you with that deer-in-the-headlights gaze? Being creative on demand is tough – especially when many people don’t think they’re creative in the first place.

Here’s a little secret: the skills that it takes to advance in corporate America don’t overlap very well with the skills that are taught to people pursuing more creative careers. You can achieve an entire MBA without ever once taking a theater class, or spending time in the art studio, or learning how to write in a way that moves hearts and changes minds. 

People are very aware of these gaps in their background. When they’re asked to come up with ideas, they do their best – but I’m sure you’ve been through more than one brainstorming session that produced three tired versions of the same lackluster idea. Inspiration, excitement, and brilliance are hard to come by.

What’s going on? Why do people have such a hard time being creative?

Lots of people think of creativity as an innate quality – an elusive trait that can only be found in a few gifted (and generally temperamental) few. They believe that you’re either born creative or you’re not, and if you’re not, there’s nothing you can do about it. 

But that’s not the case. Creativity is like any other human ability. The more you engage in focused practice, the stronger the ability gets. Right now you’re struggling to get your team to come up with creative ideas, but what would happen if you asked them to rearrange the office furniture? For some people, this type of physical activity is going to be extremely difficult – but for the employees you have that go to the gym on a regular basis, who work out to develop their muscles and strength, moving some tables and chairs is going to be easy – perhaps even effortless. 

People can train to become more creative, just like they can train to become more physically fit. In an ideal world, health experts say, we’d devote 150 minutes a week to moderately intense exercise. If your team devoted the same amount of time to strengthening their creative abilities, both the quality and quantity of ideas they can generate will increase. 

There are benefits in investing in your team’s creative abilities. 

Why is this important to you, as the leader of this business? Creative thinking immediately provokes thoughts of branding, marketing, and other public-facing aspects of the organization. The public appreciates creative messaging and experiences – and the more attention you can attract, the more customers you’ll convert and the faster the business will grow. 

But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Creative thinkers are strong problem solvers. Equipped with the relevant knowledge and empowered to consider anything that makes the brand stronger and better, creative thinking can be used to overcome challenges, discover new processes, drive innovation and more. 

Creativity can also play a huge role in strengthening the culture of your organization. In terms of attracting and retaining talent, providing avenues for your team to develop and use their creative abilities pays significant rewards. This can be an important differentiator in competitive industries where the talent pool can be picky about where they want to spend the next few years of their lives. 

Long Story Short: You Can Train for Creativity, Just Like You Train for Anything Else

If you want your team to be more creative, you can either wait for inspiration to strike – the classic but not most reliable process – or you can give them the tools and techniques they need to become freer, more imaginative thinkers. 

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With over 20 years of experience as The Cult Branding Company, we’ve honed our strategies and methods to help companies identify their brand’s DNA, gain deep consumer insights, and understand the marketplace ecosystem. We are an independent agency that creates strong and provocative relationships between good companies and their customers. Visit us at www.cultbranding.com and unlock the secrets to building a brand that resonates with your audience and stands the test of time.

April 26, 2023 by

Don’t Look Down! Macpac’s Ad Leaves You Trembling With Laughter

The ad by Macpac showcases a humorous and absurd situation with a deadpan delivery that captures attention and creates a memorable impression. The ad also does a great job of showcasing the features and benefits of the product they are offering. Learn to develop creative and engaging brand stories that resonate with your target audience and showcase the benefits of your products in a fun, creative way.

Don’t forget about the power of creative storytelling.

March 29, 2023 by