Show the love

It was Valentine’s Day yesterday and whether you are a supporter of the “hallmarkiest” of all Hallmark holidays, it’s a good excuse to show some love. Brand love that is.

And what better way to do it than to take a trip across to the “Lovemarks” site.

I first heard about Lovemarks a decade ago when Kevin Roberts introduced the concept at a Fast Company Real Times conference in Philadelphia. Next came the web site and a book and he’s been talking about it ever since.

I might not totally agree with the idea that “brands are table steaks” and “the future is Lovemarks” but I can get behind the sentiment that some brands (big and small) have a little something extra that captures and enthralls us.

In a break from my regular practical brand mantra (to get people to feel the love for your brand you first have to keep your promises) I’m getting a bit “touchy feeley” today. Roberts has defined a list of things that he thinks makes a Lovemark lovable. They are:

• Respect
• Mystery
• Sensuality
• Intimacy

 You can find out more here.

Respect I can get behind. You can’t really love someone/thing you can’t respect. And the mystery, sensuality and intimacy and a good way of getting people to think a bit differently about positioning, experience, relationships – all important elements of brand building.

Perhaps the most interesting thing is the “Top Lovemarks” list. In making no distinction between company, product and personal brands and lumping everyone and everything in together in a big old “popularity” contest it’s one of the most interesting brand lists out there – and what’s not to love about that!

Top 10 Lovemarks on Valentines Day 2011:

1. Shah Rukh Khan – Bollywood Actor
2. Book Crossing – World’s book lending library
3. Apple -The company, not the fruit (though in the land of fruit brands am sure the apple is up there)
4. Kajol – Actress
5. Moleskin – The world’s notebook of choice
6. Google – Proving (nearly) most visited doesn’t equal most loved
7. Vin Diesel – Really ?????
8. Guinness – The pint still rules
9. FreelanceBYU – Be frugal live well
10.  iPod – The little tech gadget that could (and still does)

Would your brand make the Lovemarks list? Run it through the Lovemark profiler and see! Happy (belated) Valentines Day.

See you next week.

Michel Hogan is a Brand Advocate. Through her work with Brandology here in Australia and in the United States, she helps organisations recognise who they are and align that with what they do and say, to build more authentic and sustainable brands. She also publishes the Brand thought leadership blog – Brand Alignment. is a Brand Advocate. Through her work with Brandology here in Australia and in the United States, she helps organisations recognise who they are and align that with what they do and say, to build more authentic and sustainable brands. She also publishes the Brand thought leadership blog – Brand Alignment.