Martin Lindstrom started young: he won a competition and was declared the best LEGO builder in Denmark. And it didn't stop there. He set about developing a LEGOLAND in his parents' back garden. In his first year of opening, he had over 1,000 paying visitors – including two senior LEGO executives who offered him a trainee position. So at the age of 12, Martin Lindstrom began working in LEGO's Design Department. At the same time, he developed a fascination with marketing, so he set up his own small marketing company, and helped his m other sell her beauty products. After selling his agency he went to the European Academy of Advertising, and was subsequently offered seven jobs at top agencies. After much deliberation he accepted a role at the global giant BBDO, and became an advertising executive. He went on to form BBDO Interactive Europe and, three years later, founded BBDO Interactive Asia. Both grew to become thelargest Internet solutions companies in their regions.

By the age of 30, Lindstrom was appointed global COO of British Telecom/Look smart. Working out of London and Sydney, his main role was to establish a global operation with offices across 18 countries. These remark able beginnings heralded ongoing startling achievements. Still in his early thirties, Lindstrom is one of the world’s most respected branding gurus according to the Chartered Institute of Marketing. He sits on several boards around the world, including Yellow Pages in the United States, and his bluechip client list includes Mars, Pepsi, American Express, Mercedes-Benz, Reuters, Visa, Pepsi, McDonald's, Kellogg's, Ericsson, Yellow Pages and Microsoft. In addition to his several board memberships, Lindstrom advises the boards of a number of companies, including Bertelsmann, worldwide.

Throughout 20 years of hands-on marketing experience, Lindstrom has conceived a revolutionary set of principles that achieve positive business results from transformational marketing strategies. He rejects the old rules of the industry that conceptualized branding as an art form expressed through vague commercials and awareness messages. Instead, his unique vision is scientific and process-based, all supported b y global studies conducted by a team of m ore than 600 researchers. The CEOs of McDonald's, Mattel, LEGO and Disney have all endorsed Lindstrom ’s work and acknowledge that his visionary branding principles and practices are the drivers of sales and profits, and consequently the centerpieces of business.

Lindstrom has a reputation for earning "a guaranteed standing ovation" at his revolutionary presentations on branding which, during 2005, were held in m ore than 50 cities across 29 countries. His inspiring presence and stimulating delivery is reflected in his articles and observations, published regularly in journals across the world and earning him popularity as an insightful and entertaining columnist.

His book s on branding, written with industry icons such as Don Peppers, Martha Rogers, Patricia Seybold and Philip Kotler, are sold worldwide and have been translated into m ore than 20 languages. Lindstrom’s latest book is Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy (October 2008).

Lindstrom was named one of the 2009 world’s 100 most influential people by TIME magazine.