S5 | 377: Beyond Customer Loyalty: Building a Cult Brand, with Chris Kneeland, CEO of Cult Collective

Digital StrategyTechnologyConversational AI

Jun 7

About the Episode

Today we’re going to talk about how to go beyond simply having happy customers or even loyal ones, and follow the examples of iconic well-loved brands and create a cult brand of your own.

To help me discuss this topic, I’d like to welcome Chris Kneeland, Co-Founder of Cult Collective and The Gathering.

About Chris Kneeland

Chris Kneeland is the CEO of Cult Collective, one of North America’s premier engagement marketing firms. His overriding professional passion is helping brands accelerate growth by reimagining how they engage consumers and employees. He’s committed to helping courageous brand leaders embrace proven marketing principles he’s discovered while working with the most iconic, “cult-like” brands on the planet.

Chris held marketing roles at the world headquarters of John Deere and The Home Depot. He was also formerly the Head of Retail Marketing at RAPP, Omnicom’s preeminent relationship marketing agency. He co-founded Cult in 2010, and has consulted with Harley Davidson, Canadian Tire, Mark’s, Zappos, Best Buy, HEB Grocery Stores, Carter’s, Keurig, United Way and dozens of other brands. Throughout his career, he has lobbied for customer advocacy over acquisition, and brand engagement over entertainment. He helps clients by getting customers to buy more by buying in.

Chris speaks regularly at conferences like SouthbySouthwest, CDX, Global Shop, Inbound, NRF, CMA, Digiday and The Gathering (which he co-founded). He is the co-author of Fix: Break the Addictions That Are Killing Brands, and the co-founder of Communo, an agency talent management platform helping small agencies exploit the sharing economy. Chris is an adjunct professor at Mt. Royal University, holds a Master’s Degree in Marketing Communications from Northwestern University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University. He moved to Calgary from Dallas TX in 2010 with his wife, three children and obnoxious dog.

Resources

Cult Collective website: https://cultideas.com/

The Agile Brand podcast website: https://www.gregkihlstrom.com/theagilebrandpodcast

Get the latest news and updates on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-agile-brand/

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