Lovemarks: The Future Beyond Brands (2004)
By Kevin Roberts
This is a book that Daniel has recommended to us, it’s all about creating and maintaining a brand that is extremely worshiped beyond reasonable rationality and how emotional connection instigates a gateway for your brand becoming highly loved and respected by loyal consumers.
While reading through Lovemarks, I was quite surprised to see how unstructured and visually chaotic the book presented itself, as if it was crafted and put together by a teenager like in one of those American teenage love stories. The unpredictability of the book is seen throughout with one page prescribing a detailed analysis on phycology of emotion and the complexities of the human brain and the next is a large, obscure list of words which can untimely been mistaken for a “Live Laugh Love” poster that you could buy in Home Bargains.
Kevin defines extremely loyal customers as “Inspirational customers” these are the type of people who will unite and defend your brand even if there is wrong doings. From the brand’s perspective these people are important, so rewarding their loyalty must be ensured. Although, we find that in this relationship it is mutually controlling, but ultimately the consumer has the upper hand as they are already in control. I don’t believe this is a perfect statement as I believe that there is a point when a very successful brand has enough power to take dominant control over the consumer with it being present in many of the top tier successful brands out there.
He socially constructs a chart axis called the “Love/Respect Axis” in which he shows where and what a love mark is as it is defined as a high love and high respected brand compared to a lesser level such as low love and high respect. Some of the elements of a ‘lovemark’ are discussed such as having uniqueness, luxury, sense of belonging to the consumer, energetic and the a company that shows a sense of familiarity and is fully evolved as a brand. I think looking at this hierarchy gives me a great sense and analysis of what makes a companies reputation to become loved by many through the four basic human desires such as mystery, intimacy, respect and sensuality. It has also allowed me to explore what brands do to provide good products yet project little respect for a brand on the whole.
I found a great quote that Kevin has tokened in his book from Neurologist Donald Calne saying,
“The essential difference between emotion and reason is that emotion leads to action while reason leads to conclusions.“
It’s the fundamental belief that emotion carves a pathway forward and shapes our responses to what we are exposed to even if it is subconscious without realization of the fact. Since we have evolved to modern humans we have conceded to emotions before rationality and keeping this in mind and the methodology of creating emotion this puts me on path to creating a successful brand.
While overall this book prescribed me on a great deal of knowledge on the neuroscience and emotional impact of consumers and brands I found the book to be rather unappealing and unorganized visually and typographically. The pretentious way Kevin talks throughout the book using studies from Saatchi and Saatchi which he is the CEO of creates a sense of self gloating and self advertising for his company.