Expanded version of CEO Diana Brooks recent Ad Age Editorial, “4 Ways To Create Brand Love“
When people fall in love, it’s because they connect deeply with their partner’s values, character, and personality. The same holds true for creating brand love. If you want to build a lasting authentic and emotional relationship with your consumer, it must be based on who you are and what you stand for as a brand.
In a world of quarterly reporting, data analytics and KPIs, many brands have lost their core purpose: they’ve abandoned the top of the marketing funnel — focusing too much on short-term wins instead of building a meaningful, long-term connection with their audience.
Understanding Brand Love
Brand love isn’t just about recognition — it’s about creating an emotional connection that turns customers into lifelong advocates, fans even!
Let’s get into it: here are the Essential Characteristics of Loved Brands.
1. Invest In The Long Game
Allocate a portion of your budget (even if it’s small), to branding. Building brand love requires patience, consistency, and a commitment to the bigger picture.
Make sure that you’re constantly reinforcing WHY you’re better or different than the competition and that your messaging and brand strategy go hand in hand.
Emotional connections influence purchasing decisions greatly, sometimes even more than product features or price — especially at the consideration and purchase stages of the funnel.
Relationship Marketing Strategies
The long game is all about relationship building. As a friend, if you ignore all your current friends in pursuit of new ones, what happens? You lose all your friends.
It’s the same with customers. Don’t seek out a new audience at the expense of catering to the audience and consumers you already have. Start by first building the loyalty of your current customers.
Leveraging Feedback to Improve Engagement
Engagement starts with listening. Whether it’s reviews, social media comments, customer surveys, or ANY other form of customer feedback, customers want to feel heard. Responding to their needs not only improves your product or service but also fosters deeper insights and trust.
Building Long-Term Customer Relationships
“80 percent of the value creation achieved by the world’s most successful growth companies comes from their core business—principally, unlocking new revenues from existing customers.”
Nurturing existing customer relationships is all about keeping your customers engaged.
A strong strategy for driving growth is delivering a standout customer experience (CX) consistently and proactively, in order to keep customers engaged and loyal. This leads to measurable financial impacts like increased share of wallet, repeat purchases, and net revenue retention (NRR).
McKinsey calls this approach experience-led growth. It starts with defining financial goals — then prioritizing CX enhancements to achieve them. These can include bold shifts in culture, operations, and technology, as well as advanced CX analytics. In some cases, it even calls for redefining the company’s purpose.
The impact that leading in CX (customer experience) can have on business growth.
2. Create and Reinforce Your Identity
Advertising legend David Ogilvy’s words still ring true:
“It isn’t the whiskey they choose, it’s the image.”
Your brand identity is what sets you apart in a crowded marketplace.If consumers understand your brand, it builds trust and drives customer loyalty. Great branding establishes a strong emotional response, sets expectations, and contributes to long-term success in a competitive market. Just look at Coca-Cola or Apple — both have successfully created a niche brand voice that resonates deeply with consumers.
Personality: Packing Your Brand with Character
A brand without personality is forgettable — which is even worse than being bad!
Injecting character into your messaging, visuals, and customer interactions creates a more engaging experience and helps foster emotional engagement.
Authenticity: Building Trust with Your Audience
Authenticity matters. Consumers can sense when a brand is genuine versus when it’s just marketing for marketing’s sake. Be transparent about your values and ensure your actions align with your words.
Unique Experiences: Fostering Strong Communities
The most beloved brands don’t just sell products or services — they create communities. By providing unique experiences and fostering customer interaction, you create a sense of belonging that strengthens brand loyalty and creates lasting connections.
3. Understand Your Competition and Audience
To truly stand out, you need to know where you stand. It’s amazing what you learn by simply listening to your customers!
Keep track of industry trends, competitors, and shifting consumer preferences, so your brand remains relevant. See how you measure up and can set yourself apart. A yearly check-in with your target audience to ensure your top-of-ind can be the difference between stale and great branding.
The Role of Customer Experience
A seamless and memorable experience can be the deciding factor in whether a consumer chooses you over a competitor (including existing ones).
Every touchpoint matters, from the first interaction to post-purchase follow-ups.
Personalized Interactions: Making Customers Feel Valued
Consumers love brands that acknowledge their individuality. Personalization — whether through tailored recommendations, customized offers, or direct engagement — creates stronger emotional engagement and brand affinity.
4. Be Inclusive
Diversity isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a business model imperative. Consider the multicultural consumers in your target audience, consumers who notably demonstrate strong brand loyalty.
Research shows that:
- Black consumers are 66% more loyal to brands that reflect their race or ethnicity.
- 57% of Hispanic consumers are more brand loyal to brands that respect their heritage.
Other tips are to:
- Avoid stereotypes — ensure your messaging is authentic and representative.
- Use culturally appropriate language — consider the nuances of different demographics.
- Reflect diversity in your marketing materials — representation matters.
More generally, two of three Americans’ shopping choices are shaped by their social values, and McKinsey defines 45 percent of shoppers as the “Inclusive Consumer.”
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Brand Love
Social responsibility goes hand in hand with inclusivity. If your audience knows your brand genuinely aligns with their values, it goes a long way.
It builds trust — showing you put your money where your mouth is.
Aligning Brand Values with Social Issues
Consumers want brands to take a stand on important issues. Whether it’s sustainability, equality, or ethical business practices, aligning your brand with causes that matter to your audience strengthens trust and loyalty.
Building Credibility through Responsible Practices
It’s not enough to talk the talk, you need to walk the walk.
Genuine CSR efforts — such as ethical sourcing, environmental responsibility, and fair labor practices — build credibility and reinforce brand love.
Actionable Steps for Marketers
Building brand love doesn’t happen overnight — it requires dedication, strategy, and a genuine connection with your audience.
Here’s how to get started:
- Develop a Roadmap to Cultivate Brand Love: Set long-term goals for engagement, retention, and brand affinity.
- Best Practices for Building Emotional Connections: Focus on storytelling, authenticity, and customer satisfaction.
- Leverage Data and Feedback: Use insights from consumer insights and customer relationships to refine your approach and strengthen customer connection.
Final Thoughts
Brand love isn’t just a feel-good concept — it’s a powerful driver of business success. By investing in your brand’s identity, nurturing customer relationships, staying competitive, and prioritizing inclusivity and social responsibility, you can create an impactful brand strategy that ensures long-term brand success.
With the right branding fundamentals and a commitment to meaningful engagements, your brand can cultivate a connection on an emotional level with its core audience, leading to a competitive edge and increased market share.
Loved brands don’t just exist — they thrive by fostering human relationships at a personal level, ensuring that every interaction resonates on a deeper level.
Ready to build brand love? Reach out to us here!
