I will be completely honest here.. I don’t like jumping into the Apple vs. PC debate because well, I own both platforms. My love for my iPhone grows more every day. And yes, I am very excited about the release of the iPhone 5. But it isn’t because the simple fact that it’s got the Apple symbol on the back, it’s because it’s what WORKS for me. Same with my iPad. I prefer to read books on my Kindle Fire and I work on a desktop PC or my Sony VAIO. My farmer’s iMac sits right next to my PC on our desk and he loves his Mac. There are things I do enjoy about the Mac but really, it frustrates me most of the time because I don’t know how to use it. And when I sit down at the computer, I want to get things done not figure out how to use the darn thing. But he carries and prefers his Droid Maxx phone and I feel like I get lost in that thing. I don’t think like a Droid phone, he does. We are a multi-platform house and we like it that way. We use what works for us and that’s our philosophy when it comes to technology.
Anyway, what I DO have to say is that it is completely understandable to be why people become so loyal to Apple. And WHY the debate Apple vs. PC brings out serious passion in people. Apple has created for itself not just a brand, but a “lovemark”. You aren’t familiar with a Lovemark? Here are some excerpts on what a Lovemark is.
How Do I Know A Lovemark?
Lovemarks transcend brands. They deliver beyond your expectations of great performance. Like great brands, they sit on top of high levels of respect – but there the similarities end.
Lovemarks reach your heart as well as your mind, creating an intimate, emotional connection that you just can’t live without. Ever.
Take a brand away and people will find a replacement. Take a Lovemark away and people will protest its absence. Lovemarks are a relationship, not a mere transaction. You don’t just buy Lovemarks, you embrace them passionately. That’s why you never want to let go.
Put simply, Lovemarks inspire:
Loyalty Beyond ReasonA Lovemark’s high Love is infused with these three intangible, yet very real, ingredients: Mystery, Sensuality and Intimacy.
Mystery draws together stories, metaphors, dreams and symbols. It is where past, present and future become one.
Mystery adds to the complexity of relationships and experiences because people are drawn to what they don’t know. After all, if we knew everything, there would be nothing left to learn or to wonder at.
Sensuality keeps the five senses on constant alert for new textures, intriguing scents and tastes, wonderful music. Sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste.
Our senses work together to alert us, lift us, transport us. When they are stimulated at the same time, the results are unforgettable. It is through the five senses we experience the world and create our memories.
Intimacy means empathy, commitment and passion. The close connections that win intense loyalty as well as the small perfect gesture. These are often remembered long after functions and benefits have faded away.
Without Intimacy people cannot feel they own a brand, and without that conviction a brand can never become a Lovemark.
By these ingredients, it is very apparent to me that indeed, Apple is a lovemark. It provides it’s followers with mystery. If the big reveal for the new iPhone wasn’t mysterious enough to have everyone buzzing about it on social media, I’m not sure how else to quantify it. The video released about the iPhone 5 today plays into the two other ingredients. Watch it HERE. Their consistency of plain, simple, sleek, and sensual advertising sticks, it’s appealing. And intimacy, note in the very beginning, he starts out by not throwing the product in your face but instead he hits you on an intimate and personal level by connecting with the viewer through their shared love of their iphone.
But Apple isn’t the only example of a widely known Lovemark. Another popular example is Starbucks. Or for the ag world it may be John Deere. I would say that Starbucks is indeed a lovemark for me. You put an average coffeeshop with the SAME EXACT menu next to a Starbucks and every time, I will walk into that Starbucks and order, why? I couldn’t tell you. A fierce loyalty to a product that it surpasses reason. Lovemarks can be passed on, often times parents always buy the same brand of product, so do their children. And Lovemarks can be all across the board from food items, to car brands, to even places.
Some of my other Lovemarks.. Target, Amazon, Fiji water, Canon, KitchenAid, Google, I could go on. But I think you get the idea. So today, regardless of if you’re a PC or Apple user, you really do have to give it up for Apple and their marketing team. They’ve managed to create not just a brand, but a “lovemark”. What are some of your lovemarks? And how can we in the agriculture industry channel the power of lovemarks to connect with our customers…?
If you want to read the book:
Lovemarks: The Future Beyond Brands you can find it here on Amazon. Or to check out more information about Lovemarks visit their website: http://www.lovemarks.com/
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I like the viewpoint! It makes sense and it’s definitely something we should pay attention to. I know people who treat Certified Angus Beef like a lovemark – no reason we can’t extend that to other facets of ag!