Building brand love

While we must be highly relevant to our target audience to trigger responses and behaviour, this alone is rarely enough. 

We need to spark an emotional reaction first. To do this, we need to understand and connect with our ideal clients as people. This is how we resonate with them. Here we draw on positive emotions expert Barbara Fredrikson’s theory of Love 2.0 as a way of exploring the importance of human connection in building a compelling and resonant brand identity.

What is Love 2.0?

In her bestselling relationship book, Barbara gives us a new way to understand love and appreciate its many benefits. 

Love 2.0 explains the transformative power of the fleeting moments of positivity we experience in our daily interactions. It’s not grand romantic gestures, sweeping declarations or momentous life events but rather micro-moments of appreciation, empathy, and support that contribute significantly to our overall well-being and sense of connection and happiness. 

“Love blossoms virtually anytime two or more people—even strangers—connect over a shared positive emotion, be it mild or strong.”

Barbara L. Fredrickson, Love 2.0: How Our Supreme Emotion Affects Everything We Feel, Think, Do, and Become

For Barbara, love happens in three steps. First, there is that in-the-moment feeling that comes with the sharing of positive emotions. Second, there is the synchronicity and connection this creates, which bonds and aligns us. Finally, we experience powerful forces associated with being mutually invested in each other’s well-being and happiness.

“My shorthand for this trio is ‘positivity resonance.”

Barbara L. Fredrickson, Love 2.0

Just as these moments can be incredibly powerful and can transform our relationships, we believe they can also help us fuel brand loyalty, trust and engagement.

How to Leverage Love 2.0 to Create Brand Resonance

Aim to fire emotional reactions before rational responses. Start by understanding how those all-important ‘in the moment’ interactions compound to form positive brand experiences. And, in turn, use every aspect of your brand and communication strategy to broaden and build on these. We call this ‘expression at every single touchpoint’ –  imprinting your brand promise throughout your whole organisation very much like that seaside stick of rock.

When it comes to synchronicity and connection, it’s not just what you say, but it’s what you do day in and day out that provides the biggest opportunity to forge a deep connection with your customers. Moment by moment, interaction by interaction, these experiences will grow and blossom into lasting and trusted relationships. 

Finally, be present and sincerely invested in your client’s success. Focus on finding mutual returns on relationships, not simply returns on investment and hitting targets.

Here’s some actionable tips for harnessing the power of Love 2.0 to build a deeply resonant brand:

1.) Be human-centric:

Put your customers at the heart of everything you do. How? Well, first, you need to understand them and what they really care about. Design experiences that make them feel valued, heard, and appreciated at every touchpoint. Connect, then re-direct. Understand and come alongside your clients before offering solutions or advice.

2.) People love stories:

Weave in storytelling, imagery, and messages that evoke positive feelings associated with your brand. Prompt bursts of laughter, glimmers of inspiration, and glimpses of nostalgia to generate feelings of warmth, happiness and excitement.

3.) Be Authentic:

Build trust by being genuine and transparent in your communications and actions. Customers can sniff out fakeness from a mile away, so be real, be honest, and be in listening mode even (especially) if you have something to sell.

4.) DARE to be different:

Own your differences and quirks as your superpowers. You can’t be attractive to everyone, and not all prospects will find you to be the right fit for them right now. But that’s okay! It’s your differences that make you so valuable.

5.) Build a movement and share the love:

Facilitate opportunities for prospects and customers to come together and feel part of a like-minded community. Shared experiences and interactions create a sense of belonging and foster brand loyalty. Firestarters of the world unite!