In this article, Dean Taylor, CEO and Founder of Contagion, explores the concept of "brand love" and how emotional connections with brands go beyond just products or services. He explains how brands can reflect consumers’ identities and aspirations, fostering loyalty. Through examples like LEGO, Toyota, and Vogels, Dean shares key strategies—trust, empathy, and storytelling—to help brands create lasting relationships. Read on for insights into building brands people truly love.

When Was the Last Time You Told Your Brand, “I Love You”?

Ah, love. That elusive, powerful force we humans chase all our lives. It’s not all we need—but it’s certainly up there. We admire it, we hold onto it, and we build our lives around it. But what if love isn’t just reserved for people? What if we could fall in love with brands?

At first glance, that might sound absurd. Brands are artificial constructs, right? Just logos, slogans, and marketing campaigns. But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find something far more profound at play. There’s a reason we form emotional attachments to certain brands—they reflect who we are, and more importantly, who we want to be.

The Idea of Brand Love

A brand you love is more than a product or service. It’s a relationship. You trust it. You advocate for it. You remain loyal to it, even when alternatives arise. Why? Because it’s not just about what the brand does—it’s about what it means to you.

The Psychology Behind Brand Affection

To understand this, we need to stop thinking like marketers and start thinking like consumers. A good brand is an expression of your better self. It’s a wish fulfilled. It’s how you want to be seen.

Take kids, for example. They’re emotional purists. My 11-year-old wants a Santa Cruz hoodie—not just because it looks cool, but because he believes it will transform his life. And in a way, he’s right. That hoodie represents the version of himself he aspires to be. It’s not just clothing—it’s identity.

This is the essence of brand love: the brand I love is me—not as I am, but as I wish to be. Great brand loyalty, then, is an act of self-love.

Building Brands People Love

So how do we create brands that people fall in love with?

The cardinal rule: branding should always centre on the person who uses the thing, not the thing itself. The user is the hero of the story. Your brand is the tool that helps them become who they want to be.

Think of LEGO. It doesn’t just sell bricks—it sells transformation. It turns users into creators. It builds a world where creativity is the highest value.

Think of the Liquid Death water brand, it sells the ‘living on the edge’ & being a rockstar and its water. Quite the marketing coup. You are buying rebellion.

This isn’t out of reach for any brand. Even in a uniquely Kiwi context, we have powerful examples:

  • Toyota Hilux has spent decades building a rugged, aspirational world. It’s not just a ute—it’s a lifestyle.
  • GIB, the iconic building brand, is beloved by builders not for its product alone, but for what it represents: certainty in an uncertain industry. It’s a brand that never lets them down. Believe me, for construction this is worth the love.
  • Vogels has crafted a world of rich storytelling that connects people to family, heritage, and identity. It bridges the gap between who we are and who we want to be.

The Romantic Playbook for Brands

If we were to write a romantic playbook for brands, it would include:

  1. Trust – Be consistent, reliable, and authentic.
  2. Empathy – Understand your audience’s dreams and fears.
  3. Storytelling – Create narratives people want to be part of.
  4. Transformation – Show how your brand helps users become their ideal selves.
  5. Belonging – Build a community around your brand.

The Heart of Brand Love

All beloved brands share common traits:

  • They reflect our identity.
  • They create belonging.
  • They tell engaging, emotional stories.
  • They are consistent and reliable.
  • And most importantly, they are authentic and purposeful.

Because when a brand truly believes in itself, we believe in it too.

If you want people to fall in love with your brand, you have to fall in love with it first. You have to believe in its purpose, its story, and its power to transform lives.

Because in the end, great branding isn’t about selling. It’s about connecting. It’s about building a world your audience wants to live in—and inviting them to become the best version of themselves within it.

Source: Dean Taylor, 6 June 2025