In today’s episode, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, President of SLD (Shikatani Lacroix Design), talks about the “blink factor,” a concept first discovered in 1993 with Pizza Hut. He explains how 40% of brand recognition comes from color and shape, and why emotions drive 80% of buying decisions. Drawing from his book “Think Blink Manifesto”, Jean-Pierre shares examples of brands that succeed by building emotional connections and warns of the risks that arise when brands lose authenticity.

The conversation also covers the seven key principles of emotional branding, the role of design and storytelling, and how AI can help personalize customer experiences. Jean-Pierre stresses the need to balance functional benefits with emotional connections, prepare for future disruptions, and focus on authenticity to create lasting customer loyalty.

[01:44 ] Jean-Pierre's Career Journey 

[04:32 ] The Concept of the Blink Factor

[07:53 ] Think Blink Manifesto and Its Purpose 

[09:27 ] Examples of Emotional Branding and Missed Opportunities 

[13:56 ] The Seven Tenets of Think Blink 

[21:11 ] AI and Emotional Connections at Scale 

[24:17 ] Blind Spots in the Experience Economy 

[27:09 ] Shifting from Function First to Emotion First  

[30:28 ] Key Takeaways 

Connect with Jean-Pierre:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jeanpierrelacroix

Website: sld.com/

Mentioned in the episode:

Think Blink Manifesto: sld.com/books/think-blink-manifesto/