To Like or To Love?
Source: hrneurope.com
In an ad for the dating site eHarmony, there is line that describes an ideal match as meeting someone who “says I love you, not I’ll call you.” It brings to mind the debate of ‘Like’ vs ‘Love’. Is it enough for people to like a brand rather than love it? What will a brand get in return for pursuing such commitment anyway? Love sounds like such hard work.
It is important to remember that the emphasis on ‘liking’ brands is only a recent phenomenon that has emerged with the invention of the ‘Like’ button by Facebook. Before, when consumers felt positively about a brand they showed their advocacy by spreading their like via word-of-mouth. Now it’s spread through word-of-mouse. Many companies use the number of ‘Likes’ on their Facebook page as a sign of social media success and brand engagement. Some brands are using basic transactional methods to attract new fans, while others have developed truly innovative ways of getting people to pledge their ‘Like’.
In a study (2010) of 1,600 consumers in Europe, the U.S., Latin America and Asia Pacific, it was revealed that 36% of people who are fans of a brand on Facebook are likely to purchase the product. Compare this with results from a study that showed that moving a brand to Lovemark status can increase future purchase intent by 66% and increase usage frequency by roughly five times (detailed results are available in The Lovemarks Effect: Winning in the Consumer Revolution).
Another aspect that needs to be considered when weighing the benefits of ‘Like’ vs ‘Love’ is to note the increasingly VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world we live in. Will the function of ‘liking’ be enough to see your brand through increased competition from expanding global markets and economic uncertainty? Do brands need to develop stronger bonds with their consumers to see them through good and challenging times?
For brands that aspire to become Lovemarks, ‘Like’ should be seen as the first step on the journey towards love. It is the starting point in all good relationships (attraction) but consumer interactions need to be nurtured for them to grow and be sustainable in the long-term. It is clear that all brands need to be liked before being loved, but if brands don’t stoke the conversation and act fast to move the relationship to the next level, the process of ‘liking’ will remain nothing more than a casual ‘hello’.
