What's love got to do with it?
In *Lovemarks*, Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, explains—among other things—his own success.
In *Lovemarks*, Kevin Roberts, CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, explains—among other things—his own success.
Kevin Roberts has sold just about everything in his life: wet razors, caffeinated sodas, laundry detergent. And what he loves most—and does best—is selling himself. As a self-promoter, he’s always good for media-friendly stunts. For example, as CEO of Pepsi in Canada, when he picked up a rifle at the end of a speech and «executed» a Coca-Cola vending machine set up on stage. The audience fled in a panic, the media reported on it for days—and Pepsi dramatically increased its market share in Canada. Roberts likes to tell this anecdote, including in *Lovemarks*. Because it aptly describes his character: «All or nothing at all.» Anyone who reads this book can sense that. Roberts is convincing because he believes in what he writes, because he loves what he does. That’s why the slightly more than 200 pages are worth reading, even if the idea behind them is anything but new. But no one before him has sold it so skillfully—neither Marc Gobé in *Emotional Branding* (2001) nor Tim Sanders in *Love Is the Killer App* (2002). And more importantly: No one has come up with such a beautiful name for it.
Love is the answer
Why would someone pay twice as much for a motorcycle that delivers only half the performance? Why do people who are always in a hurry wait months for a computer? Because Harley-Davidson and Apple have turned their products not just into trademarks or trustmarks, but into lovemarks—which Roberts sees as the future of all brand building and management. In our success- and efficiency-oriented societies, there is an emotional void that drives people to seek warmth, security, and love elsewhere. And according to Roberts, they find these things less in partners, girlfriends, or colleagues than in Lovemarks.
That’s because they’re not only easy to care for and always available, but above all sensual, mysterious, and yet familiar. This sets them apart from other products that may even be better or cheaper, but aren’t as desirable. What becomes a Lovemark, therefore, is decided by customers with their hearts, not their heads. According to Roberts, it takes them barely three seconds to decide. Either they feel a thrill when a Mini drives by, and they get butterflies in their stomach when they hold a Montblanc fountain pen in their hands—or they don’t. However, if the initial spark is there, it often develops into a lasting relationship that outlasts many marriages.
Love is in the air
But how do you get more or less reasonable people to love products that are, in and of themselves, soulless? The self-absorbed author’s simplistic psychological answer is: Only those who love are loved. It follows, then, that customers will only elevate products to the status of “Lovemarks” if there are people behind them who put their heart and soul into their work and identify deeply with it. Willie G. Davidson (Harley) and Steve Jobs (Apple) are living proof of this.
Occasionally, though, Roberts makes things a little too simple. His tips, for example, on how to turn customers into loyal fans, are a bit too obvious. Here’s an example: «Contact at least three customers every week. The only way to find out what they really think is to talk to them and listen to them.» We probably would never have thought of that on our own …
All You Need Is Love
Thanks to Robert’s infectious enthusiasm, Lovemarks still have what it takes to become a trend. That’s why anyone who promotes themselves or others should read this book—even though it focuses primarily on Saatchi & Saatchi’s campaigns and clients, and even though the layout is more confusing than organized and doesn’t follow any coherent concept.
The lighthearted prose, which the New Zealander peppers with colorful examples and amusing anecdotes in the best American style, nevertheless gives readers food for thought. Not just about love—though that’s part of it—but above all about the future of branding and the brands themselves.
Is the glass half full or half empty? For professional optimists like Kevin Roberts, the answer is clear, and their success proves their philosophy right.
Roger Hausmann – The reviewer is a freelance copywriter and journalist. On schreibwerkstatt.ch, he regularly recommends books on marketing and communication.
Kevin Roberts has sold just about everything in his life: wet razors, caffeinated sodas, laundry detergent. And what he loves most—and does best—is selling himself. As a self-promoter, he’s always good for media-friendly stunts. For example, as CEO of Pepsi in Canada, when he picked up a rifle at the end of a speech and «executed» a Coca-Cola vending machine set up on stage. The audience fled in a panic, the media reported on it for days—and Pepsi dramatically increased its market share in Canada. Roberts likes to tell this anecdote, including in *Lovemarks*. Because it aptly describes his character: «All or nothing at all.» Anyone who reads this book can sense that. Roberts is convincing because he believes in what he writes, because he loves what he does. That’s why the slightly more than 200 pages are worth reading, even if the idea behind them is anything but new. But no one before him has sold it so skillfully—neither Marc Gobé in *Emotional Branding* (2001) nor Tim Sanders in *Love Is the Killer App* (2002). And more importantly: No one has come up with such a beautiful name for it.
Love is the answer
Why would someone pay twice as much for a motorcycle that delivers only half the performance? Why do people who are always in a hurry wait months for a computer? Because Harley-Davidson and Apple have turned their products not just into trademarks or trustmarks, but into lovemarks—which Roberts sees as the future of all brand building and management. In our success- and efficiency-oriented societies, there is an emotional void that drives people to seek warmth, security, and love elsewhere. And according to Roberts, they find these things less in partners, girlfriends, or colleagues than in Lovemarks.
That’s because they’re not only easy to care for and always available, but above all sensual, mysterious, and yet familiar. This sets them apart from other products that may even be better or cheaper, but aren’t as desirable. What becomes a Lovemark, therefore, is decided by customers with their hearts, not their heads. According to Roberts, it takes them barely three seconds to decide. Either they feel a thrill when a Mini drives by, and they get butterflies in their stomach when they hold a Montblanc fountain pen in their hands—or they don’t. However, if the initial spark is there, it often develops into a lasting relationship that outlasts many marriages.
Love is in the air
But how do you get more or less reasonable people to love products that are, in and of themselves, soulless? The self-absorbed author’s simplistic psychological answer is: Only those who love are loved. It follows, then, that customers will only elevate products to the status of “Lovemarks” if there are people behind them who put their heart and soul into their work and identify deeply with it. Willie G. Davidson (Harley) and Steve Jobs (Apple) are living proof of this.
Occasionally, though, Roberts makes things a little too simple. His tips, for example, on how to turn customers into loyal fans, are a bit too obvious. Here’s an example: «Contact at least three customers every week. The only way to find out what they really think is to talk to them and listen to them.» We probably would never have thought of that on our own …
All You Need Is Love
Thanks to Robert’s infectious enthusiasm, Lovemarks still have what it takes to become a trend. That’s why anyone who promotes themselves or others should read this book—even though it focuses primarily on Saatchi & Saatchi’s campaigns and clients, and even though the layout is more confusing than organized and doesn’t follow any coherent concept.
The lighthearted prose, which the New Zealander peppers with colorful examples and amusing anecdotes in the best American style, nevertheless gives readers food for thought. Not just about love—though that’s part of it—but above all about the future of branding and the brands themselves.
Is the glass half full or half empty? For professional optimists like Kevin Roberts, the answer is clear, and their success proves their philosophy right.
Roger Hausmann – The reviewer is a freelance copywriter and journalist. On schreibwerkstatt.ch, he regularly recommends books on marketing and communication.
