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Disruptive Influence with Jeff AbracenAuthor: Jeff Abracen
Jeff Abracen, a Montreal-based Communication & Storytelling Coach, Pitch Consultant, Creative Director & Speaker, talks with brilliant business builders who are disrupting and influencing their industries, in their way. Language: en-us Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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How to Turn Everyday Moments Into Customer Loyalty Machines with David Brier
Episode 36
Thursday, 29 January, 2026
Most brands aren’t failing.They’re just fading into the background.In this episode, Jeff sits down with David Brier, one of the sharpest and most unapologetic minds in branding, to talk about why so much marketing today feels polished, competent… and completely forgettable.David calls it the Wall of Beige: what happens when brands optimize for speed, safety, and scale - but quietly lose their nerve, their taste, and their point of view along the way.We get into why “meeting expectations” is actually a trap. Why pumping out more content won’t save you if it costs you differentiation. And why loyalty isn’t built through clever tactics - it’s built through intention.From the ritual of opening an iPhone box, to handwritten notes, to small human moments most brands overlook, this conversation breaks down how everyday interactions - when handled with conviction - become the reason people come back, talk about you, and choose you again.This isn’t a conversation about trends.It’s a conversation about standards.If you’re a founder, executive, or brand leader who’s tired of sounding like everyone else - and wants people to stop saying “that’s nice” and start saying “I want more of that” - this is the episode for you.What we exploreWhy so many brands blend in (even when they’re doing “everything right”)The difference between convenience and careHow fanatical intention turns moments into loyaltyWhy anticipation beats persuasionWhere authenticity actually comes from - and where it doesn’tChapters00:00 — Turning Ordinary Into Amazing00:44 — AI, Speed & the Wall of Beige04:42 — Why Playing It Safe Is Riskier06:23 — Freshness, Familiarity & Surprise10:14 — The iPhone Box Lesson12:03 — Practitioner vs Professional vs Genius18:23 — Fanatical Intention22:39 — Why Meeting Expectations Is a Failure27:05 — Human Effort Creates Loyalty30:32 — Apple vs Microsoft: DNA Matters36:40 — Refusing to Let Ordinary Be Ordinary41:58 — Curiosity Beats Confusion44:07 — Why Meaning Beats Marketing55:17 — The Next 4 Years vs the Next 4058:44 — “I Want More of That”Connect with Jeff Abracen on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffabracen/]If you are or know a disruptive influencer who would make a great guest, we'd love to hear from you. Every Like, Share, Subscription and Review means a lot.Cover art by Daniel DevoyMusic by Stephen Voyce©2024 The Disruptive Influence Podcast - Jeff Abracen
