In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie Vance and Matt Mahan welcome Doug Zarkin, Chief Brand Officer at Modern Performance and Recovery Brands and author of "Moving Your Brand Out of the Friend Zone.

Doug Zarkin is the Chief Brand Officer at Modern Performance and Recovery Brands, where he specializes in creating meaningful consumer connections and revitalizing iconic brands. With an impressive career spanning leadership roles at Pearle Vision, Victoria's Secret Pink, and Avon, Doug has established himself as a visionary in brand transformation and customer engagement. He is the author of "Moving Your Brand Out of the Friend Zone," a groundbreaking book that explores how brands can transcend surface-level relationships to build lasting emotional connections with customers. In this episode, Doug shares invaluable insights on creating brand love stories, the "thinking human" approach to marketing, and the delicate balance between data-driven decisions and human intuition. His expertise in transforming brand-consumer relationships and establishing meaningful customer connections makes this conversation essential for marketers, researchers, and brand strategists looking to enhance their emotional engagement strategies in today's digital-first marketplace.