From mascots and characters to giving products "personalities," many of the world’s leading brands have mastered the art of making their brand seem more human — think Mr. Clean, Tony the Tiger’s Frosted Flakes or Amazon’s Echo and Alexa devices. 

"When we use the human lens to see a brand, we tend to relate to them as we relate to humans. We form relationships with brands, much like social relationships," says professor Pankaj Aggarwal. "Brands may seem like they are our committed partners, and we are loyal to them. And/or we may feel emotionally connected."

In the third episode of the Rotman Executive Summary podcast, Aggarwal speaks about the pros and cons of humanizing brands, and how social media, celebrity endorsements and AI are changing the rules.

Next month, assistant professor Rachel Ruttan shares best practices for giving advice and constructive feedback that’s likely to be well-received. She explores the latest research in advice-giving and navigating complex emotions at work, blending insights from psychology into her management research. 

If you missed the previous episode with professor Andreas Park, tune in to explore the rise and fall of cryptocurrency, and what that might mean for business leaders.  

New episodes of the Rotman Executive Summary are released monthly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Soundcloud. Desktop listeners can also tune in on Simplecast. 

Would you rather read than listen in? Check out the full transcript of the episode here.