Love is... good business

Lovemarks, developed by Saatchi, changes the way you work with your clients and build brands. Lovemarks transcend traditional brand building, playing to your heart and mind. The emotive element is high and there is a connection and response with and from the consumer.

Thompson explained that 'love' doesn't usually form part of the business environment - "but we help consumers fall in love with your product".

The fact is that the deeper the Internet penetrates, the more informed the world will become! Consumers expect change... newer, brighter, whiter, faster, etc... but consumers are not unhappy with what they are provided with, ie, Crest Toothpaste had 62 variants on shelf at one point and when they made a decision to take 22 away, consumers actually thought they had more choice, not less, she explained.

On average, we are exposed to over 200 brand messages a day and women are exposed to more than men, said Thompson, but the interesting thing is that none of them stick. The fact is we filter out what we are not interested in. At the end of the day, our families, music, TV programmes, friends, work, and so on, take priority. Brand messages are secondary.

The secret, as brand managers, advises Thompson, is to stop assuming that someone is waiting to hear from you.

"A Lovemark occurs at that moment in time when the logic of the wallet combines with the desires of the heart."

To get a Lovemark:
- Maintain mystery.
- Play to the senses.
- Create Intimacy.

Main insights from Thompson's presentation on Lovemarks, included:

- Passion, commitment, understanding, involvement, are key words in building a relationship between consumers and your brand.
- Respect is key. What companies are not good at are getting to is the love. Love is the differentiation.
- Brand strategy needs to be based on what your consumers need to hear, not what you want to say.
- Love is not an ingredient you add into your creative hoping to make your ideas more emotional.
- Keep mystery alive – it maintains interest.
- Sensuality, we want people to feel something about our brands. What do people care about?
- Be intimate, personal, get closer. Intimacy has really been crushed over the 20th century. There are 20 000 items sold in the average UK supermarket. With shoppers choosing 17 items in 11 minutes on average. The challenge is not just to create a piece communication, but to form a connection.

Most of the speeches at the conference will be available at www.adfocus.co.za for reading only. For more information on this speaker, go to www.lovemarks.com .