Brand Stickiness vs Brand Loyalty: How Salesforce Generated $31B Using Mental Availability

What if everything you thought you knew about brand loyalty was just a myth? In this episode of Predictable B2B Success, host Vinay Koshy speaks with Ethan Decker, founder and president of Applied Brand Science, to shake up your assumptions about what drives actual brand growth. Ethan's fascinating journey from computational ecologist to global brand science expert is just the beginning; he dives deep into the science hiding behind successful brands, exposing why "brand stickiness" might trump loyalty in the real world.

Together, they unpack the truths about buyer behavior, the importance of staying in touch with reality (not just PowerPoint reports!), and why even the biggest, most revered brands rely on a vast sea of casual customers rather than a handful of loyalists. From quirky brand mascots to the overlooked power of simple, sticky messaging, even in the B2B tech world, Ethan explains how to make your brand memorable and trusted.

If you're ready to question some of marketing's most sacred cows and uncover research-backed strategies for growth, this conversation will leave you rethinking how your own business wins, retains, and reacquires customers. Don't miss these transformative insights, tune in now!

Some areas we explore in this episode include:

• Ethan Decker's transition from science to marketing and its impact on his work.
• The science and evidence-based principles behind brand growth.
• The myth of brand loyalty versus the concept of brand stickiness.
• Common misconceptions businesses have about their customers.
• Measuring brand stickiness: recommended metrics and methods.
• B2B branding examples, including Volvo and Salesforce.
• The "Tourist Economy" model and its application to B2B.
• The "Banana Curve" or long-tail distribution of buyers in B2B markets.
• Rethinking customer retention versus acquisition and debunking loyalty myths.
• Integrating sales and marketing for effective revenue and brand growth.
• And much, much more...