Whiplash Team, May 25th 2025
Best reads May 2025
We share a brief selection of must-reads for brand enthusiasts like yourselves to enjoy during the weekend.
Emotional computing: the new frontier of personalized emotional marketing
PuroMarketing offers a deep dive into how artificial intelligence is reshaping the relationship between brands and consumers. In their article, “Emotional Computing: How Sentiment Analysis Drives the Future of Personalized Emotional Marketing,” they explore how this emerging discipline enables brands to detect, interpret, and respond to human emotions in real time. From analyzing facial expressions to voice tone and word choice, emotional computing delivers high-value insights that fuel hyper-personalized experiences. More than just technical wizardry, this approach is about understanding people better—not replacing them—to craft interactions that are more relevant, empathetic, and enduring. The key lies in using it with ethical judgment, strategic intent, and human sensitivity. (ES)
Demographics matter: brands, take note
In “Brands Take Note: Demographics Matter Most”, Branding Strategy Insider highlights the danger of ignoring generational and cultural context when building brand strategies. While universal values can help shape a solid positioning, tailoring messaging to specific audiences — with their own codes, needs, and aspirations — is crucial to avoid tone-deafness or backlash. Drawing on examples of global brands that either nailed or failed this balance, the article challenges marketers to go beyond surface-level segmentation. It’s not just about age or gender — it’s about understanding deep behavioral patterns that define each group. Personalization, yes — but with sharp strategic insight. (EN)
Frisby and the risks of global brand protection
El País reports on the legal battle between Colombian fast-food chain Frisby and a Spanish company over the rights to the same brand name. Despite more than four decades of local market leadership, Frisby’s lack of registration in Europe left the brand vulnerable outside its home turf. The case illustrates the growing importance of proactive international trademark strategy, especially for businesses looking to scale or already exposed to global digital platforms. Beyond the courtroom drama, this is a cautionary tale: even strong, well-loved brands can stumble abroad without legal foresight. (ES)
Why industrial brands need to speak to the heart
In “How We Assess Industrial Brands: It’s Not Rationally”, Fredrik Ternström challenges the long-held assumption that B2B brand perception is based purely on logic or technical performance. Writing for Brandingmag, he argues that emotional factors — such as trust, reassurance, and even aesthetics — play a powerful role in how industrial brands are evaluated and chosen. Citing neuroscience and behavioral economics, Ternström dismantles the myth of the “rational buyer” and urges B2B marketers to invest in brand storytelling, identity, and human-centered communication. The message is clear: even in the industrial sector, branding is never just a business decision — it’s a human one. (EN)
ChatGPT joins the world’s most valuable brands
For the first time, the 2025 Kantar BrandZ ranking features ChatGPT among the world’s top 100 most valuable brands. Entering at number 96, OpenAI’s model reflects the meteoric rise of generative AI and its mainstream adoption. The report also notes the continued dominance of Apple, Google, and Amazon, though signs of maturity are beginning to emerge in their growth metrics. Experts consulted by ReasonWhy emphasize that brand value today is not just about revenue, but about consumer perception and willingness to choose one brand over another. ChatGPT’s debut is a strong signal of how fast innovation can translate into brand equity. (ES)
