3 Reasons People Fall (and stay) In love With Brands

Regardless of how one feels about Valentine’s Day, the month of love is now upon us. In this spirit, I have just one question for you: Are your customers in love with your brand?

Like it or not, the brands people choose to champion are those they feel are an expression of their better selves. For this reason, brands are successful when they align with a customer’s world views and reiterate what that customer knows to be true. Brands win over buyers because they excel at telling stories that consumers can nod in agreement with.

Here are three reasons why customers swoon over brands.

Brands Satisfy Our Desires

Attractiveness, attitude, and achievements. These are a few of the things beloved brands help us see in ourselves.

It makes sense then, that wearing a pair of Lululemon yoga pants says that we value self-love and wellness, while buying an Apple computer says that we are learning more about the world around us, while contributing to it, too. This is a prime example of why key messaging is so important—it helps us articulate what we wish for ourselves, and how the brand can satisfy that desire.

Brands Meet Our Needs

There’s a reason why McDonald’s is one of the most revered global brands—because it’s reliable, consistent, standardized and thus, predictable. Travelers from Philadelphia to the Philippines can expect the same menu items, cooked using the same methods, and tasting practically the same.

That’s also the reason why so many parents of first-time drivers often purchase the cult classic Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla, both are known for the longevity of their parts and solid safety measures across all makes and models.

When buyers need to have their needs met now, dependability is what matters most.

Brands Stay Committed.

In the world of branding, there’s been a focus on listening to the customer for a reason: When brands listen to what their customers want, they can do a better job of giving it to them.

For the beloved brand, fulfillment is everything. That reciprocity means that brand evangelists show their loyalty. It also means the brand continues to offer some sort of incentive to harbor a relationship with it, whether it be through customer service, perks, or loyalty benefits.

Are you employing these practices to make sure your brand is swoon-worthy?