If you dream of inspiring cult-like brand loyalty — the kind that involves mile-long queues and even permanent tattoos — then Johnny “Cupcakes” Earle is for you. The founder of the world-renowned t-shirt brand Johnny Cupcakes, Johnny equips audiences with the blueprints for building brand loyalty, creating memorable experiences, and inspiring innovation.
Johnny’s bakery-themed, frosting-scented t-shirt shop has clothing displayed in refrigerators with orders pulled out of a secret, smoking oven! It’s a true Willy Wonka-esque experience that sees some people walking out with a t-shirt and others hangry and empty-handed — but 100% of them leave with a memory and a story to share. Despite being in one of the most difficult product categories to stand-out in, Johnny’s strategy to create a unique brand experience has earned him customers that loyally line-up around the block, time and time again, to sport his logo on their clothing.
With global pop-ups, thousands of customers with his logo tattooed on themselves, people who camp out for his products, and high-profile collaborations with giants such as The Simpsons, Power Rangers, and Nickelodeon, Johnny was named “America’s #1 Young Entrepreneur” by Business Week and “Top Innovator in Retail” by The Boston Globe. He has also been recognized four years in a row in the Inc. 500/5000 list of fastest growing independent companies in America.
Johnny has also been featured in media such as MTV, NPR, Forbes, WIRED, Newsweek, and as a case study in several branding and business books. He is a TEDx speaker whose past clients include Apple, L’Oreal, Disney, IBM, Audi, Harvard University, Wieden+Kennedy, Marriott, and P&G.