Business

Report Shows Disney Dethrones Apple as the Most Intimate Brand in the World

Published

7 years ago

May 20, 2019

Every year MBLM does a Brand Intimacy Study to find which brands customers are most loyal to. It is the largest study of its kind, surveying 6,000 consumers. Participants are asked questions about which brands they use regularly, how they feel about those brands, and if they feel that they could live without the brands’ products.

This year, Disney managed to top Apple for the first time ever. Other brands in the top ten list included Amazon, Chevrolet, Netflix, Harley Davidson, Playstation, and YouTube. To see all of the details, you can download the full Brand Intimacy Study on MBLM’s website.

It’s not surprising that Disney has built such a strong following. With the Avengers and the Marvel Universe rocking the box office, related merchandise, shows, and events are drawing in record-breaking crowds. And, this is only the cherry on top of the Disney empire.

Disney has been a household name for generations. From Mickey Mouse to Disneyland to the Disney Channel to Star Wars and on and on. Disney has been on a solid growth trajectory for years and there’s no end in sight. Part of the reason that Disney is so successful is that it prioritized its relationship with consumers.

Brand intimacy has a significant impact on a company’s ability to survive and thrive.

According to MBLM’s Brand Intimacy Study, building brand intimacy creates price resilience and builds customer loyalty.

According to Digital Authority Partners, when consumers feel a bond with a brand, they are willing to pay more for their product than the product of a competitor. MBLM says that many of these consumers are willing to pay up to 20% more.

This willingness stems from an emotion-centered marketing strategy. For Disney in particular, nostalgia plays a big part in their marketing campaigns. The longevity of the brand has allowed for devoted consumers to pass their favorite movies or toys on to their children through multiple generations. The desire to purchase a product is pursued by a child and a parent.

The ability to pass on this brand intimacy to the next generation is made possible by a willingness to keep up with new technology. If Disney still produced the same sketch-cartoons of Steamboat Willie, the company would have died out decades ago. However, Disney is always looking for ways to stay in the spotlight.

A great example of this is Disney’s upcoming streaming service, Disney+.

The way that we view movies and TV shows is changing. Streaming services like Netflix and Hulu have paved the way for others. Disney, seeing this opportunity, has opted to remove their content from these streaming services so that they can remain exclusive to their own service.

Judging by the results of the Brand Intimacy Study, this will be a successful venture.

With big brands like Disney or Amazon, it can be extremely difficult to build a name for yourself as an emerging business. But, brand intimacy may be the answer to this problem.

It’s not enough anymore to have a good product. It’s so easy for another, bigger company to come along and start selling a similar product–and they already have the customer loyalty to back it up.

One great way for businesses to differentiate is to start building that emotional attachment with their customers by adopting a data-driven marketing approach. Business can build a connection by gauging customers’ interests with regards to what matter the most to them.

One strategy that has been leveraged more and more in recent years is the practice of giving back to a cause that a company’s target audience is passionate about. That is in line with recent report findings which show that Generation Z (young people aged 16 to 30) are particularly interested in giving back to the community according to a recent study.

To that effect, for example, Kool8, a company in Chicago that produces water bottles, has put in place a very clear give-back policy for their products. For every bottle that is sold, 20% of the profit will go towards providing clean drinking water for underprivileged areas of the world.

Another example is the Tiesta Tea Foundation. They work to support people in economic hardship, raise awareness and acceptance for people with special needs or disabilities, and also work to bring clean drinking water to developing countries.

These businesses go above and beyond distributing their product to help others in need and build brand intimacy. By working to solve problems that consumers care about, they earn their business and their loyalty. These tactics create an emotional bond with the product that the consumer would not typically feel with a new business or product.

Focusing on brand intimacy is a new norm for successful businesses. We’ve seen the success of a good brand intimacy building campaign from Disney, and you can bet that they are not going anywhere any time soon.

Business

Click for Counsel: YesLawyer Wants to Make Lawyers as Accessible as Wi-Fi

Published

6 days ago

April 1, 2026

Matthew Wiles

Photo Courtesy of: YesLawyer

Byline: Andi Stark

For many people facing a legal problem, the most difficult part is not understanding their rights but finding a lawyer willing to speak with them in the first place. Long wait times, unclear pricing, and administrative hurdles often delay even the most basic consultations. YesLawyer, an AI-enabled plaintiff firm operating across all 50 states, is testing whether technology can shorten that gap.

Founded in 2024 by 25-year-old entrepreneur Rob Epstein, the platform offers free intake, automated screening, and, in many cases, same-day conversations with licensed attorneys. The idea is simple: reduce the friction between a client’s first request for help and an actual legal discussion. In this interview, Epstein explains how the system works, where artificial intelligence fits into the process, and what problems the company is trying to address in the broader legal system

Q: When you say you want lawyers to be “as accessible as Wi-Fi,” what does that mean in practical terms?

A: It’s a way of describing speed and availability. Someone dealing with a workplace dispute, a serious injury, or an immigration issue should be able to move from an online form or phone call to a real conversation with counsel in hours, not weeks. YesLawyer is structured so that a client begins with a free case evaluation, goes through automated conflict checks and basic screening, and, in many instances, speaks with a lawyer the same day.

Q: How does the process work once someone contacts the platform?

A: We use a structured workflow. It starts with a short questionnaire and an initial conversation to capture basic facts. That information feeds into conflict checks and internal review. The system then proposes a match with a licensed attorney and provides a calendar link for a virtual consultation, often within 24 hours. After the meeting, the client receives a written legal plan outlining next steps, deadlines, and estimated fees.

Q: Where does artificial intelligence fit into that process, and where does it stop?

A: AI is used for organizing and routing information, not for giving legal advice. It helps with conflict checks at scale, case categorization, and structured summaries so attorneys can focus on the substance of the matter. Every consultation is conducted by a licensed lawyer, and all decisions about strategy or next steps are made by humans.

Q: What problem is this model trying to solve in the current legal system?

A: Delay and cost are still major barriers. Many civil plaintiffs face long waits just to get a first appointment, along with high retainers and hourly billing that make early legal advice risky. We try to respond with faster consultations, flat-fee options, and financing. The idea is to remove administrative friction so lawyers spend less time on logistics and more time speaking with clients.

Q: Some critics say platforms like this blur the line between a technology company and a law firm. How do you describe YesLawyer?

A: We describe ourselves as a national, AI-enabled plaintiff firm that connects clients with independent attorneys. That structure does raise regulatory questions, especially around responsibility and oversight. We focus on licensing verification, attorney-written case plans, and clear communication about fees and services.

Q: You’ve said the main bottleneck is “systems” rather than people. What do you mean by that?

A: The issue isn’t that lawyers don’t want to help more people. It’s that the systems around them make it hard to scale their time. Intake, scheduling, and document handling take hours. Automating those parts means attorneys can handle more matters without being overwhelmed by repetitive tasks.

Q: Does this model risk favoring only the most profitable cases?

A: That’s a real concern in legal technology. Automation often works best for repeatable, high-volume disputes. Our view is that lowering administrative cost can actually make it easier to take on smaller or more complex cases that might otherwise be turned away. Whether that holds over time depends on the data.

Measuring Impact Over Time

YesLawyer’s attempt to compress the timeline between inquiry and consultation reflects broader changes in how legal services are being delivered. As artificial intelligence becomes more common in administrative work, firms are experimenting with new ways to reduce wait times and clarify costs.

The company’s early growth suggests that many clients value faster access to an initial conversation, even before considering long-term representation. Whether this platform-based model becomes widely adopted or remains one of several emerging approaches will depend on regulatory developments, lawyer participation, and measurable outcomes for clients. For now, YesLawyer’s experiment highlights a central question in modern legal practice: how quickly can help realistically be made available to the people who need it.