The subtle touch of emotional branding
Yesterday I had one of those ‘branding experiences” that happens to people everyday around the world. You see, I ride a motorcycle. I’m not super-duper enough to race a bike, or even to ride through the mountains, but I’m good enough to get around.
My first bike was a 1981 Suzuki GS250T. It was red (my favorite color) and wonderful. The problem is, it’s been sitting in front of my house all year waiting for a ride. When I first bought the bike I was on it often, but as the days grew longer and my rides grew lonelier I no longer felt the thrill that accompanies the ride… But I just couldn’t give it up?
Have you ever felt that way? Brands come to mean more to us than just objects, they come to represent accomplishments in our lives, milestones that we’ve crossed or decisions we’ve made. For me, that bike meant independence and fulfillment. My Suzuki had a subtle hint of acceptance, history and simplicity. For a Harley rider, it may mean community, devotion or legacy. In any case, when an emotional connection is made you make a customer for life.
I took a photo before my bike was loaded on the buyer’s truck, as a sort of farewell image, and I actually did get a dry throat as I fought back some tears. I wasn’t sad to see the bike go, it was a bit too small for me and I’d like a more modern bike, but it held memories that I created over the years.
And that’s exactly what branding does and how it touches our lives every single day. What brands are you attached to, or have you longed for as a result of changing the course of your life?
