ABSTRACT
How does a brand evoke true love? Most marketers ponder this question deeply and frequently during their careers and we are no exception. Certainly, there are many iconic brands in our culture – Apple, Nike, Harley-Davidson, Disney, Oprah, to name a few – that evoke admiration and envy. This is especially true when one works with brands in categories that are relatively low-involvement, like chips. While we have the privilege at Frito-Lay of working on big and popular brands such as Lay’s®, Cheetos®, Doritos® and Tostitos®, we are also acutely aware of the fact that popularity does not equate to brand love. This was the reason why we found ourselves repeatedly drawn to brands that do inspire adoration, love and fanaticism. We approached these brands with a sense of awe and a desire to understand the principles driving their success in both the marketplace and the hearts and minds of their consumers.
