The word evoke comes from the Latin term evoko, which means to call out, evoking thoughts, emotions, and memories from the mind.  While surely a strong word, the intention of evoking or conjuring things to conscious thought can be a wonderful thing. Teachers and education evoke world-changing ideas. Photos and other imagery can evoke memories and dreams from across the world.  And communication–whether vocal, visual, or tactile-can evoke myriad emotions.

This is a marketing and branding column about exactly those things–evoking thoughts and emotions about brands through a multitude of channels. Whether we like it or not, brands play a huge part in our daily lives. From the moment we wake up and check branded content through our branded apps on our branded phones to the moment we put our contacts into our favorite brand of solution after some late-night talk show and turn off our branded televisions with the branded universal remote from our cable providers, our lives are influenced by a huge compilation of marketing strategies. Even the status updates we post and the likes and retweets we chase follow the same formula.

Marketing and branding are everywhere. And I love it all. I’m the type that studies the evolution of logos and slogans. I research what makes Whole Foods so whole and why everyone’s “lovin’ it” at McDonald’s. I know why pizza rolls are eaten after school and why lip balm is so addictive.

My name is Chuan Tsay and I’ve spent most of my career in the marketing world, getting inside the minds of consumers, executives, and clients alike. I was there when Facebook launched its first sponsored group and I was on a team that launched a competing social network in 2007. I live and breathe brand identity, marketing strategy, and behavioral science.

As the Asian American demographic blossoms, brands will pay more and more attention to this affluent community of buying power. And I’ll be there to provide commentary every step of the way. This is my column on ALIST and I hope you’ll read it, correct me when I’m wrong, and converse with me about a subject that affects all our lives when we least notice it.