6 ways brands can build stronger customer relationships and lasting brand loyalty
“Love is harder than ever for brands to earn.”
That’s how MBLM introduces their latest Brand Intimacy Report, in which they expand their decade-plus investigation into the question: What really drives consumer loyalty? Going deeper than in previous years, the study evaluates more than 475 brands and includes analysis of more than 4.38 billion words across the social internet using AI and machine learning. As I read through it, I found precise, vivid insights into how customers form bonds with brands, and what those brands do to actively, intentionally foster those emotional connections.
The entire study is thought-provoking and well worth a read, drawing important links between strong brand intimacy ratings and profitability and other financial advantages. It also takes a fascinating view of different facets of brand intimacy, identifying “6 Brand Intimacy Archetypes.”
What are the 6 Archetypes?
Defined as “patterns or markers that are consistently present, in part or in whole, among intimate brands,” the six Brand Intimacy Archetypes highlight distinct feelings or experiences that consumers crave from a brand experience. The approach creates a vivid and useful way of thinking about consumer relationships – and prioritizing gaps in customer experience (CX).
I’ve briefly summarized them here, focusing on the questions they raise. Not every organization can – or should – attempt to score high on every aspect of the Brand Intimacy study. But it’s important to note that many of today’s most successful, profitable brands perform well against many.
Fulfillment
How strongly do your consumers believe that your brand will consistently deliver superior service and exceed their expectations?
Identity
Does your brand reflect values or beliefs that are aspirational or otherwise resonate positively and deeply with your customers?
Enhancement
Do consumers perceive that your organization can improve their lives by making them smarter, better informed, more capable, and/or more connected?
Ritual
Have your consumers embraced your brand so completely that it has become a part of their everyday habits? Is your brand becoming part of daily life?
Nostalgia
Does your brand link positively and emotionally with consumer memories?
Indulgence
Does your brand fulfill your customers’ wishes to feel treated as very special or even pampered, whether those moments of indulgence are actually delivered frequently or occasionally?
As I said, whether you believe you can (or should) realistically compete against all 6 archetypes, this research strongly suggests that these are connections that consumers crave today. It prompts important questions brands can ask themselves when evaluating their own CX performance, whether they’re Fortune 100 corporations, tiny startups, governmental agencies, or anything in between.