I don’t love the term Lovemarks. However, I do love the ideology of Lovemarks. There is a place where few brands earn the right to evolve to by emotionally connecting with consumers to forge loyalty beyond reason. But do brands evolve to become LOVEMARKS?
(For a primer on Lovemarks, click here or get the official word here.)
Maybe my quirkyalone perspective on love is too idealistic for me to “love” Lovemarks as THE term to describe a highly evolved brand.
To me … Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails...
If I was to ever be in LOVE with a brand ... it would have to be Chipotle. (Yes, the fast casual burrito chain.) Chipotle has forged loyalty beyond reason with me ever since I first experienced it in the fall of 1998. But … I will, on occasion, cheat on my Chipotle “Lovemark” by going to Freebirds, Baja Fresh, or Qdoba. I don’t cheat often mind you … just occasionally.
So, can Chipotle be my "Lovemark" if I sometimes cheat by visiting like-minded competitors?
Just wanted to make a quick comment. All of this nonsense about Lovemarks seems over-hyped and illogical to me. Isn't it this an obvious connection for any marketer worth his/her salt? I don't believe that new information is deriving from this book. Perhaps, I am just foolish to think that everyone in the marketing industry would draw such an obvious conclusion between brand and brand loyalty.
To answer the how does a brand become a Lovemark question, which is never addressed in the book; it seems clear that the simple rules of branding, corporate conduct and good business ethic would easily and without mental stretching create a “Lovemark”.
1. The product must fill a need for the consumer. Chipotle is not a new chain food store, but it still fills need- sustenance.
2. The product must be well made (i.e very tasty, sturdy, functional). Design of packaging, the actual product, ads and websites play a key role in this as well.
3. The company must be as transparent as possible for the consumer and hold itself to moral standard higher than that of the individual (or seem to). This means corporate shenanigans, accounting hijinks, poor treatment of employees and the surrounding environment is out. A good public face is very key.
4. The product must respect the consumer through excellent customer service in all areas- top to bottom. The product must all realize that the consumer is king. The key message should be – it’s for YOU –t he consumer. This should drive all advertising messages FOR YOU message.
5. Innovation in the product’s field helps to promote a feeling of love- case in point, Apple. Apple continues to make it easier, better for its consumers to enjoy and live with their products. The innovation at Apple seems to stem directly from the consumers needs and enjoyment.
6. Continuos excellence in the areas above will foster take a product from merely an item for sale to a loved product on the marketplace.
7. Products that verge to far off of their original mark with excessive extensions will find themselves in peril. Let’s say Chipotle moved into making clothes. It seems farfetched, but many companies make such a leap. Such a jump across lines will create confusion in the consumer and a negative feeling in the consumer.
The seven above are the basic principles of marketing/business that have been in thousands of books over the ages. Apply these rules to any product and I firmly believe you will have the “love” of your target consumer.
What do you think?
Posted by: Celestine | June 23, 2004 at 12:25 PM
Ramona ... I agree totally with you regarding this “lovemark” thang being lots of hype. (The book is written by an Ad Exec after all.) But illogical? I can’t agree with you there.
The ideology of “Lovemarks” is strong, logical, and highly appropriate given the dense brandscape consumers and marketers live in. While Roberts does not adequately address how to evolve a brand from being just a brand to being a Lovemark, he does outline how Lovemarks connect emotionally with consumers.
Roberts says to emotionally connect brands with consumers, a marketer must use mystery, sensuality, and intimacy. When done correctly, and with passion, this will forge loyalty beyond reason between a customer and a brand and thus … the brand evolves into what Roberts calls a “Lovemark.”
The seven basic principles you outline below will help to create a strong brand. No argument from me on that. However, those seven basic principles do not address emotion.
It is the emotional bond between customers and a brand/company that will forge loyalty beyond reason. Having spent ten years marketing for two companies (Starbucks Coffee and Whole Foods Market) recognized as having forging loyalty beyond reason with their customers … I can attest to the branding power of using emotion.
We can all get caught up in the semantics of “Lovemarks” and debate the merit of the term. But then we would lose the crux of what Roberts is saying … which is … brands need to evolve from simply being bigger, brighter, stronger, and cheaper to being a brand that emotionally connects with consumers.
Posted by: johnmoore (from Brand Autopsy) | June 23, 2004 at 01:14 PM
Agreed- emotion plays a huge part of brand loyalty. I did not mean to imply otherwise or that the idea of creating emotion in the branding process is illogical. You are correct - no 8 should be creating an emotional tie to your consumer.
My question to you John (having worked for such strong brands) is how do you create an emotional tie? There are some brands who seem to do this effortlessly. Nike always seems to me to be great at creating emotion through its messages. It such a great shame they cannot be responsible with their corioprate goverance. I have some thoughts on this "creating an emotional tie", but your perspective is desired. Would you perhaps do a larger post?
Best.
Posted by: Celestine | June 24, 2004 at 02:51 PM
Ramona … there is not a fool-proof ten point process to building an emotional bond between a consumer and a brand/product/service. There are too many variables for there to be a formula to create an emotional brand.
With that said, if you want to read a few thoughts from Brand Autopsy on building an emotional brand, I suggest you read the following posts*. (* There is SO MUCH MORE to say about how to build an emotional brand ... these posts represent only a few thoughts.)
Un-Commoditizing Radio
Basic marketing I’ve learned lessons learned from my Starbucks and Whole Foods Market marketing experience
High Touch not High Tech
Meaningfully connecting with customer in human ways more so than through technological ways
Closing the Gap I
Closing the Gap II
Successful lifestyle brands help consumers actualize their aspirations
The Experience Matters
links to some great articles from Pine and Gilmore
BBBT#2 - Creating Customer Evangelists
a series of posts with Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba, authors of Creating Customer Evangelists
Posted by: johnmoore (from Brand Autopsy) | June 24, 2004 at 05:07 PM