2010: The Year Of Branding Love

Posted by Barry Silverstein on December 31, 2009 12:01 PM

What's love got to do with it?

Apparently a lot, when it comes to branding campaigns. Love is everywhere these days, and it is likely to be a promotional keyword in 2010.

Love is "a sentiment enthralling Madison Avenue in spite of -- or perhaps as an antidote to -- a downturn and two wars," writes Andrew Adam Newman in The New York Times. He cites at least four current ad campaigns -- for Blackberry, LensCrafters, Payless Shoes, and Subaru -- that use "love" as a theme. Indeed, they are only the newest additions to the love craze, as evidenced by McDonald's "I'm Lovin' It" campaign, introduced in 2003 and still running today.

Interestingly, the use of the love theme is so prevalent that it could easily cause a lack of differentiation in a brand category. Subaru's theme is "Love. It's what makes a Subaru, a Subaru." Just months ago, Honda launched a campaign with the slogan "Everybody knows somebody who loves a Honda." Nissan's newest campaign carries the slogan "Quality you can love."

This over-abundance of love has ad legend Jerry Della Femina wondering if it's just too much. "I wouldn't have the nerve to walk into a client's [office] and say, 'Here's the campaign: everybody loves your product,'" he says.

More about: Blackberry, LensCrafters, Payless Shoes, Subaru, McDonald's, Honda, Jerry Della Femina

Mary Varilly says:

Well, my jewelry-making tag line since back in 2007 when I started making is: "Made with Love, Wear with Joy"!

January 3, 2010 10:38 AM #

Adam says:

I'm doing a little research for an article.

Can anyone think of any other global examples?

Thanks,
Adam.

January 4, 2010 11:35 AM #

Mark Trueblood says:

I'm sure ad campaigns about love sound great in corporate boardrooms. But I think it reeks of arrogance and cluelessness for any brand to throw around the word "love" so hamhandedly.

With that said, it is fair to create authentic messaging about consumers/employees who are passionate about a product.

But the "We love you, you love us" stuff just doesn't reflect much understanding of the consumer IMO.

January 5, 2010 11:58 AM #

rhonda page says:

Interesting that LOVE is a big theme this year. In the spirit of the holiday season, our firm created a blog called "Love it"

"Love it" is an open dialogue about how we can change business and the world by injecting more love into the things we do and the people we work with. We feel that by developing the capacity to learn about love, we believe great change will propel us forward into a new and more human future.We invite you to join the conversation www.createtheunseen.com

January 5, 2010 01:59 PM #

Shariffa Nisa Hamid says:

Using the word 'love' and 'hate' has become invariably common that it is hard to differentiate it from passion, compassion, empathy or sympathy! Products and brand builders are using it to simply confuse consumers who are already pretty much confuse with loving too many things! On personal opinion, less 'love' used, the better quality is the product as you don't need convincing. A good product can be seen/evaluated as it is and a clever smart consumer will see it!

January 5, 2010 09:49 PM #

Hi Adam,

How about an article on 'When Love becomes Convenient'

January 5, 2010 09:53 PM #

John R. Hofmann Sr. says:

This is truly sad. Pretty soon it will be "I LOVE to go to the bathroom thanks Exlax" or " I LOVE Kotex Tampons they are so absorbent!" Shame on us. Just think what the drug companies will do with this!---JOhn

January 8, 2010 01:12 PM #

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It's nice to hear that love is a sentiment enthralling Madison Avenue in spite of -- or perhaps as an antidote to -- a downturn and two wars. It's really interesting that the use of the love theme is so prevalent that it could easily cause a lack of differentiation in a brand category.

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joan says:

awsome post!

April 13, 2010 04:10 PM #