Lou Carbone on a new understanding of brand

Lou Carbone on a new understanding of brand

Author: The Agile Brand July 20, 2026 Duration: 31:11

If a brand is no longer what a company says it is, but the sum of every experience a customer has, what does that mean for the marketing department's role in the organization?

Agility requires more than just adapting to market changes; it demands a fundamental shift from broadcasting a message to engineering an experience. It requires a willingness to unlearn old definitions of brand and embrace a new reality where customer perception is the ultimate truth.

Today, we're going to talk about what some are calling a "reformation" in branding. It’s a move away from the traditional model of logos, slogans, and campaigns, and toward a new understanding where the brand is the cumulative effect of every single customer interaction. This shift has massive implications for organizational structure, strategy, and how we measure success.

To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Lou Carbone, Professor of Practice, Michigan State University & Founder/Chief Experience Officer at Experience Engineering.


About Lou Carbone

Lou Carbone, often called the "Godfather of Experience Management," has been a pioneer in experience engineering since the 1980s. He’s a globally recognized thought leader, author of Clued In (Fast Company’s Reader’s Choice Award winner), and co-author of award-winning research like “Sticktion.” He developed the proprietary Experience Engineering® methodology and has advised top organizations including Microsoft, IBM, John Deere, Pizza Hut UK, Allstate, and the UAE government. A frequent keynote speaker and guest lecturer at leading business schools, he’s also Professor of Practice at Michigan State University, shaping future leaders in customer experience. His innovations, like the Paperless Rental Agreement at National Car Rental, have become industry standards. He holds a Distinguished Alumni Award from Thiel College, where he also served as Board Chair, and is active on several healthcare and academic boards including Brown College. Lou also serves as a Professor of Practice in the Eli Broad Business College at Michigan State University, teaching within the Masters of Market Research and Analytics program, as well as the startup of the Masters degree in Customer Experience Management.


Lou Carbone on LinkedIn


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Experience Engineering


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Each conversation on The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström®: Expert Mode Marketing Technology, AI, & CX moves beyond surface-level trends to explore the practical realities of modern marketing. Host Greg Kihlström guides discussions with executives and thought leaders from prominent brands and technology platforms, focusing on the tangible strategies that drive growth. You’ll hear detailed explorations of topics like the real-world adoption of AI, the construction of effective first-party data strategies, and the evolving landscape of customer experience. This podcast is built for leaders who need to translate complex technological shifts into sustainable business value and deeper customer relationships. Rather than offering quick fixes, these episodes provide a deeper understanding of how to integrate marketing technology, artificial intelligence, and customer-centric thinking into a cohesive strategy. The dialogue consistently centers on building customer lifetime value, ensuring that every technological investment contributes to long-term brand strength. If you're looking for a clear, expert-level analysis of what actually works in today's market, this series delivers substantive insights directly from the professionals shaping the industry.
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