The Rainmaker Podcast Building Iconic Brands and Cult-Like Followings with Chris Kneeland
What separates a good brand from an iconic one? This week, Chris Kneeland, co-founder of Cult Collective and expert in brand loyalty, joins me to break down the strategies behind cult-like brands and what makes them stand the test of time.
Chris shares how brands like John Deere, Airbnb, and Lululemon built deep emotional connections with their audiences—and how you can apply these lessons to your own brand.
In this episode, we explore the psychology of branding, why great brands focus on belief systems over behaviors, and how companies can create lasting communities instead of just selling products. Chris also shares his insights on brand storytelling, marketing evolution, and why the best companies aren’t afraid to break the mold.
Whether you’re building a business from the ground up or looking to strengthen your existing brand, this conversation is packed with actionable insights that will change the way you think about marketing and branding.
About Chris
Chris Kneeland is the cofounder of Cult Collective, a marketing advisory firm, Cult Ideas and he also cofounded The Gathering, a Forbes top-rated business conference. Chris is a proven business leader with an impressive track record of increasing revenue and brand relevance. He specializes in delivering profitable growth through the smarter deployment of discretionary resources, improving specific elements of the customer journey that matter most, and increasing internal and external engagement via the masterful application of proven “cult brand” principles.
Chris possesses enviable audience engagement expertise and have driven sustainable growth for some of North America’s most beloved brands, including Harley Davidson, Best Buy, H-E-B, The Home Depot, Canadian Tire, GoDaddy, Keurig, and John Deere. He has helped launch over a dozen start-ups and currently serves as a Fractional CMO for companies earning between $25MM-$250MM annually.
Chris believes in building brands from the inside out (i.e., enhancing corporate culture and employee engagement), developing customer-centric org structures, and delivering category-leading KPI’s. He champions change management best practices and excels at developing effective frameworks, strategies, and action plans. He’s also a dynamic presenter and elevates what customers and employees believe is possible. Chris has a master’s degree from Northwestern University and a B.A. from Brigham Young University.
Connect with Chris
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-kneeland-838b2921/
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If you're serious about advancing your career in marketing and you're looking for some personal insights into how then I invite you to schedule a free Pathway to Promotion call with me: https://pathwaycall.com/
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