Kai D. Wright

In a world of increasing digital connectivity, the most important signal of brand health -- whether a company, person, or nonprofit -- is simply how you make others feel; and brands that resonate the strongest maintain a consistent, positive feeling across five branding territories -- lexicon, audio cues, visual stimuli, experience, and culture. Based on research of 1,500 innovative and fast-growing companies, from Disney to SoulCycle, he uses pop culture to capture the attention of busy executives looking for practical ways to protect, build, and reboot their brands for growth. Combining his roots in economics from The University of Chicago and his academic teaching in communication at Columbia University, he breaks down the five parts of any brand that matter most -- lexicon, audio cues, visual stimuli, experience, and culture (LAVEC) -- through high-growth, industry defying, and global examples of brands nailing and failing to win customers.