Martin Lindstrom

It all began one disastrous summer’s day in 1982 when eleven-year-old Martin opened the doors to his own Legoland. He’d carefully designed the miniature village, planted it with bonsai trees, scooped out inch-wide canals and constructed numerous houses and ships out of Lego. Martin’s Legoland was installed in his parents’ back garden and its creator anticipated a throng of fascinated visitors. Not a single one showed up.

Conscious that something more than brilliant design was needed to attract visitors, Martin decided to advertise. He persuaded the local newspaper to run an ad – a simple act that was to reveal the power of marketing. The next week, 131 people streamed through the garden gate. Among their number were two lawyers from Lego, who informed Martin with great kindness and politeness that if he persisted in using the name ‘Legoland’ he’d be guilty of trademark infringement. Martin was intrigued by the idea that someone had control and ownership of the name of his favorite toy – and that it wasn’t him. Fascinated by the concept of trademarking, and seduced by the evident power of advertising, Martin opened his own advertising agency a couple of months later, at the age of twelve. This agency was sold in 1988.

Over the course of twenty years of hands-on marketing experience, Lindstrom has conceived a revolutionary set of principles that transform marketing strategies into positive business results. He rejects the old rules of the industry that conceptualized branding as an art form composed of vague commercials and awareness messages. Instead, his unique vision is scientific, process-based, and supported by global research studies.

Today Lindstrom works with famous brands such as LEGO, Nokia, McDonald’s Corporation, Proctor & Gamble, Yellow Pages, Nestlé, American Express, Microsoft, The Walt Disney Company and GlaxoSmithKline.

Martin Lindstrom has written five books, including works with industry icons such as Philip Kotler. The most famous books are "BRAND sense" and "Buyology".