Martin Lindstrom
New York Times Bestselling Author of Buyology, Brandsense, Brandwashed & Recipient of TIME Magazine’s “World’s 100 Most Influential People”
Lindstrom... has an original, inquisitive mind... a fascinating look at how consumers perceive logos, ads, commercials, brands, and products.
True story. When he was a kid growing up in Denmark, young Martin had but one thought in his life: LEGO. He handbuilt and slept on a LEGO bed. The family garden became his very own LEGOLAND creation, attracting visitors from near and afar (including the lawyers from LEGO).
At this time, aged 12, LEGO installed Lindstrom onto their advisory board. And then, of all the children in the world - they gave him the very first green brick in the collection.
You're guessing this is what got Martin started in the crazy world of branding, marketing and all things advertising... and you'd be right!
Fast forward 3 decades later. Recipientof TIME Magazine's "World's 100 Most Influential People". As an author, speaker, and advisor on brands and brand building, Martin Lindstrom has carved out an entirely unique niche as a global expert and pioneer in the related fields of consumer psychology, marketing, brands, and neuro-scientific research.
He is the author of several New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling books including: Buyology - Truth and Lies About Why We Buy, Brandsense, Brandwashed plus 3 other major bestsellers on brands and marketing.
Lindstrom offers a uniquely global overview of branding and marketing. He is a pathfinder in the world of marketing and is on the road 300 days annually, working with and advising top executives of McDonald's Corporation, Procter & Gamble, Nestle, Microsoft Corporation, The Walt Disney Company, RedBull, GlaxoSmithKline, PepsiCo, amongst others. His annual personal global audience is estimated at over a million people.
Martin is the anchor and producer behind NBC's hugely popular TV show; 'Main Street Makeover' and 'Marketing Mind Games' on TODAY, is a columnist for Fast Company and TIME - and continues to feature in the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, The Economist, New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Washington Post, USA Today, and numerous other publications and television channels.
Books by Martin Lindstrom
Videos featuring Martin Lindstrom View All
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Should Your CIO/CMO be in Charge?
Martin LindstromI actually think that the Chief Information Officer, in principle should or could be in charge but I don’t think it’s going to happen because they do sit in isolation. In fact, what I do think is so ironic is none of those three different titles were probably in charge.
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The Issue of Privacy and How to Handle It
Martin LindstromSo let’s take a look at this topic from two angles. First, from the consumer angle. I hate to tell you that every trace you leave behind you will not just be there, it will stay there forever for your entire life. And I think we tend to forget about that.
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Why You Need a Secret Side Project at Work
Martin LindstromWell my principle is to do something which is not illegal. I basically would do my daily routine as everyone would ask me to do but then I would have a pocket of innovation going on which I wouldn’t tell people about.
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Why Creative Data Interpretation is Worthwhile
Martin LindstromWell if I were you I would probably consider doing a combination of big data and what I call small data. Really big data is, of course, an accumulation of an enormous amount of data out there.
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How Science can Influence Your Creativity
Martin LindstromThe difference between art and science is really that art is based on science, in my opinion. The science is creating the foundation of insight which may or may not see it in a very secret light about where this brand has to go.
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Is Your Customers' Experience Designed Ethically?
Martin LindstromFor me, privacy is a huge issue and the reason why I wrote Brandwashed back in the day is because I was and still am very concerned about it for many reasons. First of all, I’m a consumer so I don’t want to be cheated in a bad way.
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Are Your Clients Having an Entertaining Shopping Experience?
Martin LindstromShopping has changed a lot over the years. I think in the old days it was an exciting thing going on, perhaps it was even entertaining, but now it’s become a routine and I think more and more it’s something we would like to get over with and done.
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Martin Lindstrom: The Art of Marketing Q&A
Martin LindstromMartin Lindstrom, branding expert and Time Magazine Influential 100 Honoree, joined The Art Of in our backstage studio to talk branding, marketing and his latest book, “Brandwashed”.
Articles by Martin Lindstrom View All
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Why Observation Will Be the Most Important Leadership Skill in the Era of Small Data
Martin LindstromSome years ago, while driving from Poland to Vienna, my GPS broke down. Forget about buying a printed map. They’d vanished in the two decades since I’d last looked for one.
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Why Leaders Shouldn't Over-Rely On Big Data
Martin LindstromLike it or not, businesses are drifting away from the consumer. Recently, as I jumped on-stage at a gathering of executives in New York City, I asked how many had spent time in a consumer’s home over the past year.
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The Grey Zone of Small and Big Data
Martin LindstromIs it possible to encapsulate the mood of an entire nation, using just one tiny icon? If you’ve ever been to Russia, you’ll know that smiling isn’t an everyday phenomenon. In fact, you’d be rather lucky if you met anyone smiling.
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FBI vs. Apple, Big Data vs. Small Data, and The Dance for Consumer Privacy
Martin LindstromToday we live in a post-privacy society. Nothing drives this point home more poignantly than an observation noted in a speech from former IBM head Sam Palmisan.
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A Not-So-Modest Plan to Save Bookstores From the Grim Reaper That is Amazon
Martin LindstromI have a love affair with bookstores: the search, the smell, the tactile sensation of turning pages. I’m convinced I’m not alone. There are lots of customers who still love bookstores. But bookstores keep shutting their doors.
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Turning Back Time
Martin LindstromFacebook recently wrapped up a promotion tour designed to lure U.S. publishers to deliver their news feeds to Facebook. Since Facebook’s 1.4 billion users give it the world’s biggest platform, this move, if successful, would define the very future of news delivery.
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How To Identify Your Customers, Make Them Love You, And Keep Them Hooked
Martin LindstromEvery company is struggling to nail down their core target group. If only they could define it, life--or at least business--would be a whole lot easier. They could then channel resources and focus energy in the right direction.
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Brand This Way: 3 Road-Tested Marketing Moves Ripped From Lady Gaga
Martin LindstromThere is much the corporate world can learn from this 25-year-old diva, whose talent for building a brand might even surpass her formidable performing chops. On July 12, 2011, Lady Gaga’s private jet touched down on Australian soil.
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What CEOs Can Learn From Siberian Teenagers
Martin LindstromUnderstanding people through direct experience has become a forgotten part of American business. Here's how strangers can and should help shape brands.
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Are You a Victim of Phantom Vibration Syndrome?
Martin LindstromThat's right--when you reach for your cell phone, though you are unprovoked by a beep or a hum, you are a slave of biology, and of our modern-day dependency on gadgets.
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How the Chinese Became Global Branding Geniuses
Martin LindstromIn the same way China approached its preparations for the Beijing Olympics, businesses have fully detailed each sensory impression a product will have on consumers. One company's ultimate objective: Become a global leader in car manufacturing. Look out, Detroit.
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Creative Marketing for Mom & Pop Shops
Martin LindstromWalmart might move in down the street and under-price you, but they can't take away your story. The stories of three small businesses might help you outfox your biggest competitors. Any business can be turned around with a simple idea.
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Want to Sell Product? Sleep With Your Customers
Martin LindstromKnowing the bathroom, eating, and cleanliness habits of consumers can make or break a campaign. Question is: How far are you willing to go? How well would you say you know your consumer--not just the broad-stroke stuff, either, like their income or marital status.
Have you seen Martin Lindstrom speak? What did you think?