Why Most B2B Branding Fails: The 86% Correlation Most Brand Ignore

Why Most B2B Branding Fails: The 86% Correlation Most Brand Ignore

From Influence Anyone by Howie Chan, Influence Strategist @ The Behavioring Company

May 19, 2026 · 59 min · Episode 80

About this episode

Kevin Perlmutter discusses the importance of emotional connection in branding and why most B2B brands fail to resonate with their audience.

Brand strategist and author of Brand Desire, Kevin Perlmutter, joins Howie Chan to reveal why the strongest brands don’t just communicate value. They create emotional connection. Drawing from behavioral science, customer psychology, and years of brand strategy experience, Kevin explains how brands can move beyond corporate jargon and surface-level messaging to uncover the emotional motivations that truly drive human behavior. From “limbic sparks” and subconscious associations to brand messaging and customer experience design, this conversation breaks down how great brands become unforgettable. You’ll learn why emotional insight matters more than demographics, how subconscious associations influence decision-making, and why most B2B brands fail to connect with the people they’re trying to reach. Kevin also shares practical frameworks any business can use to create stronger customer relationships, more resonant messaging, and brand experiences people actually want to return to. Episode Breakdown: 00:00:00 The 3 Pillars of Brand Desire 00:09:21 “Limbic Sparks” in Brand Strategy 00:14:33 The Behavioral Science Discovery That Changed Kevin’s Career 00:16:44 The 86% Correlation Most…

People in this episode

Host: Howie Chan

Guest: Kevin Perlmutter

Topics covered

  • B2B branding
  • emotional connection
  • behavioral science
  • customer psychology
  • brand strategy

Keywords

  • B2B branding
  • emotional connection
  • behavioral science
  • customer psychology
  • brand strategy
  • limbic sparks
  • subconscious associations

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Brand Desire

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