Your source for knowledge, reports, thought leadership, and other tomfoolery. No fluff. No folklore. Just sticky, science-backed brand truth.
The Most ABSurd Blog
Cover Brand: Reputation Over Brand
Ethan sit down with Jeff Leitner to unpack brand vs. reputation, how solopreneurs can market without the cheese, and what it really takes to stand out.
Are you sending enough emails to customers?
Localytics asked 1,000 people about brand communication, and the top complaint—by far—was simple: too much, too often.
Cover Brand: Brand Archetypes
Ethan sits down with Nikki Nagy of Las Olas Luxury Living to talk building a disruptive brand, nailing your voice, and standing out in the crowded pool furniture game.
Do luxury Brands have different buyers?
Do brands really sell to different types of people—or do they mostly share the same buyers, making differentiation a myth?
Cover Brand: Inside Out Branding
Ethan sits down with leadership expert Perry Maughmer to unpack why brand is more than logos—and how clarity inside your company can drive real growth.
Do “purpose-driven brands” really perform better?
Does having a higher purpose actually boost financial performance—or is it just a beautiful idea we’ve all bought into?
Cover Brand: Mere Familiarity
Ethan sits down with entrepreneur Lili Siegelson of Gelt+Glow to talk launching a seasonal brand, smart marketing on a shoestring, and why timing is everything.
Are you UNDERthinking your brand enough?
Good marketers overthink strategy—but great marketers underthink how to actually connect with buyers.
Cover Brand: Fight Unfair
Ethan sits down with T Strickland of Zocco Print & Promo to talk branding from the ground up—word-of-mouth, carving a niche, and fighting unfair against the big guys.
Cover Brand: Commit to the Bit
Ethan chats with Anne Macomber about how to build an authentic personal brand, ditch outdated career advice, and lean into the spiky traits that set you apart.
What face should you make on your YouTube Thumbail?
Does your facial expression change YouTube views? Yep—and the data shows which ones pull the most clicks.
Cover Brand: Ladder of Abstraction
Ethan sits down with branding expert Steve Morris to dig into core brand values—and how to turn lofty ideas into authentic actions inside and out.
How should you interpret your purchase funnel?
Should you panic if your brand’s consideration rate is below average? Not really—and the North Face vs. Patagonia vs. Helly Hansen shows why.
Cover Brand : Memorable Merch
I sit down with Steven Bell to explore how smart merch keeps your brand memorable during long sales cycles—without being annoying.
Are old people more brand loyal?
Kantar looked at 30,000 UK households to see how much of their wallet goes to one brand—and what that really says about ‘loyalty.’
Cover Brand : Ideal Client Needs
Ethan sits down with Chelle Johnson to unpack Ideal Customer Profiles—why they matter, how to focus your resources, and how to attract the right clients.
Does any car brand buck the Law of the Demand Curve?
Can a car be both high-priced and high-volume? The demand curve says no—and 200 years later, it still holds up.
Cover Brand : Brand Personality
Ethan sits down with Rajev Sivarasa to dig into how small businesses can stay authentic as they grow—by leaning on brand behaviors and personality.
How hard is it to buck demand curves?
Can a product be both high-priced and high-volume? The demand curve—alive and well since 1838—says nope.
Cover Brand : Show Don’t Tell
Ethan sits down with Dan Smink to explore how manufacturers—often the most overlooked—can use branding to stand out, get remembered, and play premium.
