Marc Gobé, the well-known marketing and branding expert, died on Friday, January 3, 2014, at his home in Manhattan. He was 68 years old.

WWD reports that the cause was a brain tumor, according to his daughter Gwenaëlle Gobé.

Gobe was the CEO of Emotional Branding LLC, described as a “think tank” that helps brands create meaningful and enduring connections with people. Gobe also co-founded Desgrippes Gobe in 1985. During Marc’s tenure, the firm grew to becoming one of the top 10 global branding firms.

Gobe is most well-known for creating the concept of “Emotional Branding” over 15 years ago, and has since published several books on the subject.

Gobe’s bio on www.emotionalbranding.com states that “As marketing became more left-brain data and logic driven, Marc had the courage and vision to pursue a more right-brain orientation on branding. Marc evangelized the need for brands to communicate on an emotional level with their audiences.”

Gobe’s first book, Emotional Branding, was published in 2001. It has since been translated into 17 languages, and has been integrated into the MBA programs of leading business schools worldwide.

Gobe’s follow-up books were: Citizen Brand, BrandJam, and most recently, Emotional Branding 2.0, which launched in 2010 and is dedicated to understanding the role of emotions in the era of social engagement.