For The Love Of A Brand
I had the chance to spend nine days in Italy this month and it was amazing. We spent the entire time in Tuscany and Florence. It was just as beautiful as I had imagined. The people were as nice as I had hoped. The food and wine were as delicious as I expected. The history and the art were breathtaking. I truly cannot wait to go back.
It’s such an interesting experience spending time in a totally foreign environment. I say that but let’s face it, it’s hard to really do that these days. Our world is so connected that even when you are across the globe there are those reminders of home – familiar sites like the golden arches or a bottle of Coco Cola. Which actually brings me to the real topic for today. Yes, I loved Italy and I cannot wait to go back but I must register one complaint… where is Pepsi in Italy? Why is it that Coca Cola has such a lock on what feels like every single country outside of our own United States? As someone who doesn’t drink coffee in the morning I rely on my Diet Pepsi fix for my morning caffeine jolt. You can imagine how needed this was after 24hours of travel and when dealing with a 9 hour time change. Yet where was my beloved Diet Pepsi? Sadly, nowhere to be found. Yes, yes, yes. I could find Diet Coke – oh wait – Coca Cola Light actually - everywhere and out of desperation I learned to rely on that for my jolt but I never stopped looking for my Pepsi.What is this longing that I have for my Diet Pepsi? Is this brand loyalty? You bet. I am pretty open to trying new products particularly when I am traveling to new places but in my life there are certain brands to which I am very loyal and Pepsi is one of them. Dissecting other brands to which I am loyal is revealing… for example, Plum squeezable peaches. I don’t buy other brands. I buy Plum. Why? Because I know my 4 year old will eat them. I don’t want to mess with success. Saving a little bit of money isn’t worth the trouble or the potential downside. Tide detergent. It cleans my clothes well and it doesn’t give anyone in my family a rash. Again, not worth risking a change and it has served me well for years. Ann Taylor clothes. I know how they fit. I can order them without trying them on which means I can avoid the mall (a HUGE bonus in my book). And the list goes on. It isn’t a long list but it is an important list - a list of those brands to which I am totally and completely loyal regardless of price because my loyalty is about so much more. It is about trust and confidence and years of good experiences. As a marketer this is what I strive to help my clients achieve with their brands.So, what brands are on your list? What products are you totally loyal to? Are there any? It’s fun to look at. And what about your kids? I know I am rubbing off on mine. As we were taking a tour of Florence our 15 year old stopped to buy a water and came running out with a Diet Pepsi for me saying “Look what I found! Look what I found!” Now that’s my girl.-Britta Foster