The Art of the Brand

The Secret Behind Japan’s Most Obsessive Brands

This week on Art of the Brand, Camille and Phillip return from Japan and Korea with a masterclass in what real branding looks like outside the West. From Bulgari’s flawless hotel experience and Muji’s “no-brand” philosophy to Gentle Monster’s art-driven retail universe, they break down why some cultures still obsess over detail, craft, and discipline — and why that obsession builds brands that last. They unpack the collapse of merit in Western institutions, the danger of licensing over commitment, why On Cloud x Loewe collaborations feel hollow, and how luxury tech and wellness aesthetics are rapidly evolving. Most importantly, they reveal the truth every founder needs to hear: excellence is a choice, attention is earned, and brand power comes from doing the hard things well — consistently, deliberately, and without shortcuts.

The Rise and Fall of Fenty. And the New Rules of Relevance

This week on Art of the Brand, Camille and Phillip break down one of the most chaotic weeks in beauty, culture, and influence. From Fenty’s decline and the outrage aimed at Camille’s viral case study, to Timothée Chalamet’s unhinged-but-brilliant Marti Supreme marketing leak, they unpack why brands lose relevance — and why honesty is now controversial. They dive into The Row’s breakup with its biggest evangelist, the shock arrival of Olive Young in America, Meadow Lane’s guerrilla rise in Tribeca, and the seismic shift of influencers becoming full-time employees inside billion-dollar companies. This episode is a masterclass in modern brand psychology: what creates momentum, what kills it, and what brave founders must do next to stay relevant in a world addicted to outrage.

The Secret Behind Japan’s Most Obsessive Brands

This week on Art of the Brand, Camille and Phillip return from Japan and Korea with a masterclass in what real branding looks like outside the West. From Bulgari’s flawless hotel experience and Muji’s “no-brand” philosophy to Gentle Monster’s art-driven retail universe, they break down why some cultures still obsess over detail, craft, and discipline — and why that obsession builds brands that last. They unpack the collapse of merit in Western institutions, the danger of licensing over commitment, why On Cloud x Loewe collaborations feel hollow, and how luxury tech and wellness aesthetics are rapidly evolving. Most importantly, they reveal the truth every founder needs to hear: excellence is a choice, attention is earned, and brand power comes from doing the hard things well — consistently, deliberately, and without shortcuts.

The Death of Empathy: Why Good Intentions Are Killing Great Brands

Empathy used to be a brand’s greatest strength, now it’s becoming its biggest weakness. From Lululemon’s confused NFL partnership to Victoria’s Secret’s failed comeback, this episode unpacks how good intentions and “inclusive” branding have created a new kind of brand crisis. Camille and Philip break down suicidal empathy, the rise of ghost brands, and why the line between authenticity and performance has never been thinner.💻 Social Media MasterclassMy foundational training will help you stop guessing and start building content that converts.👉 https://camille-moore.com/ 👥 Monthly Brand CohortMonthly, I launch small group learning where I work with you over 6 weeks to develop your brand and approach to socials. Great for small business owners and people wanting to launch a personal brand. 👉 https://camille-moore.com/links/ 🤝 1:1 Brand Strategy IntensivesFor founders ready to go deep and build a category-leading brand. I work 1:1 with a handful of brands as their Fractional CBO.👉 http://bit.ly/4krhxgO 🏢 Hire My AgencySerious brand? Serious goals? Work with my team at Third Eye Insights. If they had a great campaign, they probably hired us.👉 https://thirdeyeinsights.ca/ 📬 Subscribe to Branding With Benefits (My Substack)Free weekly branding insights for people who want blunt strategy, not fluff.👉 https://substack.com/@camilleemoore 🎙️ Podcast Available On:Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Everywhere You Stream📱 Follow Camille MooreInstagram: @camillemooreTikTok: @camille.moore_ LinkedIn: Camille Moore🌐 Website: camille-moore.com🎨 Follow The Art of the BrandInstagram: @theartofthebrand✅ 𝐂𝐎𝐏𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄: This video and my YouTube channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are property of "👉The Art Of The Brand👈" You are authorized to share the video link and channel and embed this video in your website or others as long as a link back to my YouTube Channel is provided.Chapters00:00 — Cold open & Jays post-mortem (who lost vs. who won) 02:19 — Baseball-to-branding: execution errors and brand self-defeat 04:55 — World Series ads in Canada: why the work felt mid 05:56 — When RFP checklists beat merit (and what that does to creative) 06:23 — Housekeeping: Japan/Korea trip, book update, planner, new iPhones 08:04 — Apple’s messaging miss: massive camera leap, weak pitch to creators 09:44 — Smart camera use cases: dual-side filming, auto-framing, on-the-go news 10:58 — Color psychology: the “orange era” effect 11:39 — Olivia Colman/Burberry, haters, and useful backlash 14:20 — Taylor Swift detour & paywalled dance dare 15:14 — Main topic kickoff: Is Snapchat worth it in 2025? 16:37 — Arbitrage 101: where attention is cheap vs. expensive 19:14 — CPM reality check: YouTube vs. Snapchat vs. TikTok 20:51 — Discover’s clickbait problem vs. “go where the eyeballs are” 23:33 — Strategy = resource allocation: when not to be everywhere 26:08 — Who should test Snapchat (and why NA adoption still lags) 27:57 — Teams, scale, and the GaryVee caveat for small operators 33:00 — Empathy vs. execution: the “suicidal empathy” trap for brands 36:33 — Performative vs. authentic values (land acknowledgements, etc.) 43:15 — Lululemon × NFL: swag drop, missed innovation, target confusion 48:18 — Ghost brands explained (Sears, Kodak, Playboy) + political analogy 54:29 — Vogue’s “boyfriends aren’t cool”: privacy, performance, and founders 1:03:08 — Power without validation: what to share (and what not to) 1:04:25 — Gender-gap politics, moderation via dialogue, tribal echo chambers 1:06:39 — Unrealistic partner filters & the digital distortion effect 1:08:16 — Wrap-up and what’s next

The Rise of Streaming, the Fall of Luxury, and What Comes Next

This week on Art of the Brand, Camille and Phillip break down the most interesting brand moments of the week—from Burberry’s stunning return to form to Skims’ controversial viral drops. They unpack why Kim Kardashian’s strategy works (but might backfire), how Burberry’s content pillars are a masterclass in heritage branding, and why Gap and Montcler are winning by making ads that don’t feel like ads. They also dive into Hailey Bieber’s post-acquisition slump, MrBeast’s $100M lawsuit, and Justin Bieber’s streaming warehouse experiment. From baseball sponsorship fails to the psychology of taking creative risks, this episode is a reminder that in 2025, playing it safe is the most dangerous move a brand can make. ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – The Louvre Heist Ad: Risk vs. Reward. 04:45 – The 15-Minute Window of Fame 08:00 – Founder Fear & The Paralysis of Perfection 10:30 – Authenticity Beats Polish 13:00 – Martha Stewart, Disagreeability & The Myth of Likability 15:00 – The Dark Side of Excellence 17:00 – Finding Your Edge 22:00 – Skims’ Viral Formula 26:00 – The Power (and Cost) of Shock Marketing. 29:00 – Relevance vs. Resonance. 33:00 – Burberry’s Comeback 35:00 – Heritage, Politeness & Storytelling How Burberry rebuilt desire by owning its British identity unapologetically. 38:00 – Content Pillars Done Right 40:00 – The Ads That Don’t Feel Like Ads. 44:00 – Risk, Relatability & the End of Safe Marketing 46:00 – The Movement Agency How fashion’s runway coaches are now teaching founders to look natural on camera. 48:00 – The New Standard: Video Mastery 53:00 – Ego vs. Effectiveness. 57:00 – The Road to Rhode’s Decline 01:02:00 – MrBeast’s $100 Million Mistake 01:08:00 – The Rise of Equity-Based Influencer Deals 01:12:00 – Justin Bieber’s Streaming Warehouse 01:18:00 – Baseball, Branding & The Hidden Opportunity 01:31:00 – TD’s Branding Fail on the Blue Jays Jersey 01:36:00 – The Best & Worst Baseball Logos 01:42:00 – When Virtue Signaling Destroys Loyalty 01:47:00 – Shohei Ohtani & The Power of Global Branding 01:50:00 – Final Thoughts