Johnny Cupcakes talks brand hysteria and memorable experiences

What is the greatest Christmas gift you've ever received?

This was a question Johnny Cupcakes asked all of his staff members one summer a few years ago. Many responded by mentioning a childhood toy that triggered nostalgic memories. Since it was summertime, most didn't think twice about the seemingly random question from their boss.

But Johnny was taking notes. Over the next six months he searched the depths of eBay to track down each employee's favourite Christmas gift from the past, which became the gift he gave them that year at Christmas.

(Credit: Johnny Cupcakes promo image)

"When I gave it to those employees, some of them almost cried," says Johnny.

"It wasn't so much the gift, (it was that) they realized I listened."

Johnny Earle (aka Johnny Cupcakes) is an award-winning entrepreneur and brand hysteria expert who founded the world’s first t-shirt bakery. (If you're wondering what a t-shirt bakery is: it's a t-shirt store that looks and smells like a bakery. Shirts are displayed in vintage refrigerators and on baking racks. Vanilla-scented car-fresheners are hidden throughout the store to replicate the smell of frosting. Clothing purchases are packaged in pastry boxes. As Johnny puts it: "Whether people leave with a t-shirt or not, they always leave with an experience.")

In October 2019, Johnny was a keynote speaker at our Canadian RE/MAX conference. In December 2019, he agreed to chat with me on an episode of The RE/MAX Hustle Podcast. In both instances, he spoke at length about the importance of going above and beyond for your customers and those who help you succeed in business.

Beyond the earlier example of Johnny giving his employees memorable Christmas gifts, there was a time when he took a couple weeks off of work to handwrite notes to his top-spending customers and those who have been following the Johnny Cupcakes brand since the early days. Johnny's notes went beyond a simple, "thank you." He did research on where his customers were from, and he shared personal stories about his own experiences with that part of the world. Each note was mailed in a fluorescent envelope with a superhero postage stamp and a Johnny Cupcakes wax seal.

"If you want customer loyalty, you must be loyal to your customers."

Johnny's attention to detail has resulted in hysteria and unmatched loyalty around his t-shirt brand. Customers will line-up for hours at the chance to purchase limited-edition designs. Hundreds of thousands of people follow his social media accounts. And thousands (that's right, thousands) of people around the world have gotten the Johnny Cupcakes logo tattooed on their bodies.

"There are so many options out there... people have many choices. And everyone's attention span is getting shorter and shorter.

"You've got to get someone to stop in their tracks to be curious about what you do... to the point that they tell other people."