In 2004 Kevin Roberts wrote Lovemarks: the future beyond brands. It was admired by many as a breakthrough in marketing thinking, but was also controversial because of its surprisingly obvious thesis: that emotional connections are at the heart of sustained relationships between producers, retailers, and consumers. While many companies were using the language of war in their marketing—target, penetrate, ambush—Roberts was using the language of love— mystery, sensuality, intimacy. He explained in simple theory what people are often loath to admit: we make decisions with our emotions over our reason. Lovemarks described the journey by which brands could move from consumer respect based on intellect, to consumer love based on emotion—and in return gain “loyalty beyond reason.” In 2010 Advertising Age magazine named Lovemarks one of their “ideas of the decade,” while noting that the
roadmap for brands to achieve Lovemark status was still not entirely clear. This book, Loveworks, adds to Lovemarks in an essential way. It provides real world business examples and outlines the roadmaps followed by several famous brands to achieve Lovemark status. Loveworks shows in detail how many of the world’s top marketing companies, including Procter & Gamble, Toyota, Visa, General Mills, and Diageo have won in the marketplace through the
application of Lovemarks theory. These companies have maintained a laser focus on making and sustaining emotional connections with consumers. Loveworks features 20 case stories from clients and markets worldwide in widely varying categories. It shows that Lovemarks thinking works—anywhere, anytime. All it takes is having the brains to implement it, the guts to see it through, and anabiding faith in emotion as your compass.
