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, “Top Innovator in Retail” by The Boston Globe, and featured in Inc. Magazine as the CEO of one of the world’s fastest growing independent businesses.
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.