Tsedal Neeley is the Naylor Fitzhugh Professor of Business Administration and Chair of the MBA Program at Harvard Business School. Sheâs also a board director, bestselling author, and one of LinkedInâs Top Voices on leadership and the future of work. Recently, she shared a simple but...
Carl Jung once said, âMan needs difficulties. They are necessary for health.â The same is true for brands. Yet many instinctively avoid difficulty. They shy away from conflict, from tough expectations, or from friction with customers. But hereâs the paradox: the very struggles brands embrace are the...
In the race for innovation, growth, and market share, many brands forget a simple truth: customers donât fall in love with complexityâthey fall in love with clarity. At the heart of every Cult Brand is a clear and consistent emotional experience. And one of the fastest...
Marvel Studios may be facing theatrical turbulence, but its brand remains strong. While critics point to "superhero fatigue" and underperforming films, Marvel has never relied solely on its box office performance. The brand's real power lies in how it connects with its most loyal fansâits Brand...
One of the clearest truths in marketing is also one of the easiest to forget: Brands with higher awareness get far greater return from the same media spend. This isnât a vague theoryâitâs been demonstrated across multiple platforms, from ecommerce marketplaces to TikTok. The effect is consistent...
If youâre serious about growth, invest in TV. TV isnât just another channelâitâs the stage where brands earn cultural relevance. When done right, it becomes more than advertising. It becomes a signal of trust, a story customers carry with them, and a catalyst for loyalty. TV Still...
If someone asked me to define a cult brand, I wouldnât start with logos or marketing campaigns. Iâd start with people. At its core, a cult brand isnât just a company with loyal customers. Itâs a brand that people join. In our research (Why We Join), we...
Every industry has its âsafe bets.â The products and services that succeed by being reliable, consistent, and available. Theyâre the brands people donât mind switching out for a cheaper alternative at the grocery store or at the car rental counter. But then there are the other...
If your brand disappeared tomorrow, would anyone really miss it? Thatâs the uncomfortable question most companies avoid. And yet, itâs the line that separates ordinary brands from Cult Brands. In The Cult Branding Workbook, we make a critical distinction: most products succeed by being reliable, accessible, and...
For years, marketers chased leads as if more always meant better. But hereâs the uncomfortable truth: more leads often equals less profit. Why? Because chasing volume usually drives costs up faster than revenues. At some point, you cross the break-even line. After that, every new lead...