Brands are just like relationships. They can be simple positive associations for us, or life-changing love affairs. But in truth, they help us formulate our identities and, in some cases, achieve self-actualization. Think, for example, of your favorite sports team (if you’re into that sort of thing). The reason you keep watching has a lot to do with the soaring euphoria of wins and the heartbreak of the losses. But when it comes to your favorite brands, you feel much the same thing. The brand relationship we form when we feel a range of emotions — ranging from commitment, passion, loyalty, love, and nostalgia — inevitably leads to an undying brand loyalty, even through challenging times. To find out how to embark on this romantic adventure with your company, imagine you’re on a first date with the queen of hearts herself, Susan Fournier…

Fournier’s Seven Characteristics 

Ok, picture it. You get to the table at a nice restaurant and across from you sits, the marketing mystic of the modern era, Susan Fournier. You introduce yourself and she lets you in on her impressive, and somewhat intimidating work. You find out that she is the pioneer of the brand relationship subfield of marketing (what a catch!). As she explains her work, (the seven characteristics of human relationships that are also manifested in brands), you take mental notes. These important details apply to not only your human relationships but also the ones customers have with your brand. Pour a fresh glass of wine and get comfortable…

1. Behavioral Interdependence

The first thing you need to know is that brand and human relationships share behavioral interdependence. This means that the actions of one party influence the other. Each member needs the other and they are important to one another. When it’s a good match, the value of the relationship goes up. With brands, this takes the form of customer purchases in response to sales, promotions, and new product releases while at the same time, these companies tailor their products and services to what they learn through customer sales and feedback. Just like in a human romance, the brand romance requires a mutual responsiveness to ensure that the actions of one complement the needs of the other. 

2. Personal Commitment

The next thing you need to know is that just like romantic relationships are founded on personal commitment, so are brand relationships. When the going gets tough, you lean on each other, help each other through it, and stick with it even through the hard times. This human, and brand loyalty, is what keeps the union going for the long run.

3. Love and Passion

But now you must be wondering, how can there be a relationship without love and passion? Well, you guessed it! Just like a couple wants time together, dislikes being apart, has an emotional bond that holds them together, and is not afraid to publicly demonstrate their connection, these same qualities appear in our romances with brands too. When was the last time you bought an item you really wanted and felt comfortable apathetically leaving it home, unused? Unless it has been a while and something new caught your eye, it’s unlikely. Instead, you might bring it around with your friends and show it off! But in order for this to work, it has to go both ways. Brands must love and be passionate about customers too, otherwise they can fall out of favor and result in a bitter divorce with a once favorite brand. 

4. Nostalgic Connection

Ok, say you have stuck it out for awhile, and you still are enamored with your top brand. Much like you would hope to be in a marriage, your brand relationship has acquired a nostalgic connection. Your long term relationship with the brand has brought with it memories and emotions, or associations accumulated through experiences. Past moments with your love color the present creating a nostalgia that only enhances the love and passion you feel. 

5. Self-Concept Connection

If you have cold feet, it’s time to back out now. But for those of you who are ready for all that a whirlwind brand romance has to offer, here is the kicker. When you find yourself in love with something you feel a mutual respect, understanding, and value for, you often develop a self-concept connection. This means that you share common interests, activities, and opinions that support and affirm each other in ways that define parts of your identity. These shared views help to confirm your understanding of the world and create a reassuring atmosphere of mutual affirmation. When it comes to brands, they have their own unique personalities that can match up with consumer self image. As a result, the company receives more satisfaction and ultimately brand loyalty ensues. This goes beyond the “cool factor” to help us achieve a better feeling about ourselves, or a self-actualization (the highest and truest form of brand romance). To achieve this, companies need to invest in marketing that gives their target demographic a comforting feeling of reflected self image. This can inevitably not only reflect, but also shape, this self image.

6. Intimacy

So now that you know the ultimate goal, let’s continue to help you get there. The next step, as in any important relationship, is intimacy. As you would with a long term partner, you need a deep understanding of each other. Just like you know your partner’s age, class, interests, needs, locations, and preferences, you need to know important characteristics about your customers too. A passionate company develops when the wants and needs of the consumer are mirrored through mutual understanding. So, get well acquainted with your customers.

7. Perceived Quality

Last but not least, is one of the reasons why we commit to a relationship in the first place: perceived quality. You need to believe each partner is top quality and the best possible choice. Your high mutual regard for the other is what keeps you together, believing you have both made a smart decision. A customer must think their chosen brand is the best of all alternatives and believe that the company treats them well and appreciates them. 

So, this might have been one of those times when the first date says too much… But if you want to stick it out and learn more about how to create the brand relationship — nay brand loyalty — of your dreams, check out the whole affair at https://brandcebo.com/. We look forward to sweeping you off your feet!