Lovemarks Campus

Founders and senior management may aspire to become Lovemarks, but if theory doesn’t translate into action at the point of transaction, no amount of planning can shift a brand into Love territory.

Why is the art of the narrative the ultimate vehicle for reaching audiences in the Age of Now? Storytelling involves participation, language, images and action. It ignites the audience and encourages them to go on an emotional journey with the storyteller.

For a brand to be a Lovemark, it doesn’t need the approval of the overall status quo, but does require High Respect and High Love from its core community. Crocs is such an example. It is one of the most polarizing brands on the market today; a brand that people love or detest.

There has been much written and reported on the nature of people’s relationships with their mobile phones as the technology becomes secondary to how we function socially and emotionally. What motivates such strong feelings of loyalty to a brand of mobile phone?

In the Age of Now many brands have moved beyond implementing pleasant atmospherics and have begun developing immersive sensory experiences for good reason – sensory appeal increases engagement, percentage of footfall in stores and overall sales.

We all use it and there seems to be a tube for everyone by the bathroom sink, but toothpaste is no small matter. What makes people choose one brand of toothpaste over another, and how does a brand of toothpaste hold fast to its consumers in a hyper-competitive market?

There are many brands in female sports apparel, but few that distinguish themselves as Lovemarks. Lululemon Athletica is an example of a company that has moved from being a brand to dominating Lovemarks territory in its market. Let’s look at some ways in which it’s won Respect and used Mystery, Sensuality and Intimacy to create a brand that is irresistible.

Greek yogurt has seen outstanding growth in the market. Its higher price point and acquired taste has not deterred sales, with some commentators describing its performance as astronomical. Here are three examples of how brands of Greek yogurt have used Intimacy to connect emotionally with audiences.

In the fast paced chaos of daily life, people want brands to be more than just brands – they want connections that provide meaningful relationships. To maximize this opportunity, brands need to show people that they have a personality that is worth getting close to.

Mexico is the world’s largest bottled water market and alone is expected to be worth $13 billion by 2015. With more companies entering this competitive market, how do brands instill a sense of Mystery to a product as ubiquitous as bottled water?

Southwest Airlines was named the ‘most desired’ corporate brand in America in a recent survey by Buyology and uSamp. It has consistently performed well over the past decade, and also has a reputation as a brand that people Respect and Love. How has a low cost airline managed to work its way into the hearts of American men and women?

How does what you see affect what you think and feel about the brand? Human beings are cognitively drawn to things that we consider aesthetically pleasing. When something is beautiful we feel more positive about it. We want it to succeed and its faults seem less pronounced.

Godiva recently scored behind Pixar, Absolut, Cartier and BMW in a quantitative study by Buyology Inc that measured the feeling of ‘awe’ that people felt for brands. Why is ‘awe’ important and how is it related to Mystery?

Supermarket brands have come a long way from ‘bland’. Now private-label products have as much thought put into them as national and global names, with packaging and designs carefully developed to compete with well-known items at the shelf.