Brand strategist and author of Brand Desire, Kevin Perlmutter, joins Howie Chan to reveal why the strongest brands don’t just communicate value. They create emotional connection.

Drawing from behavioral science, customer psychology, and years of brand strategy experience, Kevin explains how brands can move beyond corporate jargon and surface-level messaging to uncover the emotional motivations that truly drive human behavior. From “limbic sparks” and subconscious associations to brand messaging and customer experience design, this conversation breaks down how great brands become unforgettable.

You’ll learn why emotional insight matters more than demographics, how subconscious associations influence decision-making, and why most B2B brands fail to connect with the people they’re trying to reach. Kevin also shares practical frameworks any business can use to create stronger customer relationships, more resonant messaging, and brand experiences people actually want to return to.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00:00 The 3 Pillars of Brand Desire

00:09:21 “Limbic Sparks” in Brand Strategy

00:14:33 The Behavioral Science Discovery That Changed Kevin’s Career

00:16:44 The 86% Correlation Most Brands Ignore

00:24:36 AI & the Missing Emotional Connection

00:28:26 The Biggest Mistake B2B Brands Make

00:34:35 Fear-Based Marketing vs. Positive Emotional Connection

00:40:49 Brand Expression (Sonic Branding, Visual Identity & Brand Messaging)

00:44:27 Identifying Shared Emotional Motivation Between Stakeholders

00:46:13 Aligning Customer Experience With Brand Promise

00:51:54 The 3 Question Framework Every Business Should Ask

Want to make influencing human behavior your company's superpower? Connect with me at howiechan.com/speaking and let's talk!

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Episode Resources:

Check out my episode with David Aaker here — or just go to episode 79.

From Our Guest:

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Brand Desire by Kevin Perlmutter

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Produced by Ideablossoms