Six patterns or markers that are consistently present, in part or in whole, among intimate brands that identify the character and nature of ultimate brand relationships.
Creates a close relationship centered around moments of pampering and gratification that can be occasional or frequent.
Focuses on memories of the past and the warm, poignant feelings associated with them. These are often brands a customer has grown up with.
Reflects an aspirational image or admired values and beliefs that resonate deeply.
Exceeds expectations, delivering superior service, quality and efficacy.
Customers become better through use of the brand—smarter, more capable, and more connected.
When a person ingrains a brand into his or her daily actions. It is more than just habitual behavior. The brand becomes a vitally important part of daily existence.
One of the three stages of Brand Intimacy, bonding is when an attachment is created and where the relationship between person and brand becomes more significant and committed. This is a stage of acceptance and reliance. It is followed by the stage of fusing.
A new paradigm that leverages and strengthens the emotional bonds between a person and a brand.
Quantitative research helped determine our Brand Intimacy Model, which comprises five key components that each contribute toward building ultimate brand relationships. The model culminates in a Brand Intimacy Quotient, a score each brand receives indicating its performance.
In our research, this is defined as someone who has utilized the brand within the last 12 months, and is between the ages of 18 and 65. This range provided a broad array of consumers. Age priorities and mix change depending on the brand and/or industry. The user is the first part in our model since you cannot be intimate with a brand you have not engaged with or repeatedly tried. Think of this as similar to human relationships; you cannot be intimate with someone you are not already involved with.
A strong emotional connection is a key requirement and the foundation of intimacy. We believe the greater the emotional connection between a brand and consumer, the more powerful the relationship. A strong emotional connection is determined by the degree of overall positive feelings a customer has toward a brand, and the extent to which a person associates the brand with key attributes.
Six patterns or markers that are consistently present, in part or in whole, among intimate brands that identify the character and nature of ultimate brand relationships.
Stages identify the depth and degree of intensity in the relationship between a consumer and a brand. There are three stages of intimacy with criteria for each progression.
The score assigned to each brand from 1-100. This Quotient is based on prevalence (the percent of users who are intimate) and intensity (where the relationship is on the spectrum of three stages, sharing, bonding, fusing). It is a shorthand score that demonstrates how a brand is performing relative to its ability to create intimate brand relationships, and enables comparisons to other brands in the same category or to the industry average.
The score assigned to each brand from 1-100. The Quotient is based on prevalence (the percent of users who are intimate) and intensity (where the relationship is on the spectrum of three stages, sharing, bonding, fusing).
It is a shorthand score that demonstrates how a brand is performing relative to its ability to create ultimate brand relationships and enables comparisons to other brands in the same category or to the industry average.
This is a measure based on a ten point scale that determines how essential a brand is to our lives. One on this scale means “I could easily live without this brand,” while 10 equals “I would find it extremely difficult to live without this brand.” The results are a top two box score.
One of the six Intimacy archetypes, enhancement is when customers become better through use of the brand—smarter, more capable, and more connected.
A German-born American psychologist known for his theory on psychosocial development of human beings.
One of the six intimacy archetypes, fulfilling expectations, delivering superior service, quality and efficacy.
How often a person uses a brand. We measure this across daily usage, weekly, several times a month, once a month or less than once a month.
The most advanced stage of Brand Intimacy, fusing is when a person and a brand are inexorably linked and co-identified. In this stage the identities of the person and the brand begin to merge and become a form of mutual realization and expression.
One of the six intimacy archetypes, identity reflects an aspirational image or admired values and beliefs that resonate deeply.
The opposing state to intimacy. Indifference is irrelevance and detachment. Indifference can happen along any stage of the journey toward Intimacy and is a risk that needs to be considered at all times.
One of the six intimacy archetypes, indulgence creates a close relationship centered around moments of pampering and gratification that can be occasional or frequent.
A psychological articulation of establishing a close connection. The ability to fuse your identity with someone else’s without the fear that you are going to lose yourself is the commonly accepted definition by Erik Erikson.
An Israeli-American psychologist and winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. Kahneman is known for work on the psychology of judgment and decision making. His book “Thinking, Fast and Slow” addresses the dichotomy between two modes of thought: System 1 is fast, instinctive and emotional; System 2 is slower, more deliberate, and more logical. He believes most decisions are based on emotion and rationalized later as judgment.
Is a well-known index that is traditionally used to measure loyalty of one’s customers. Net Promoter Scores range from -100 to 100 and measure a customer’s willingness to recommend a company to others.
One of the six intimacy archetypes, nostalgia focuses on memories of the past and the warm, poignant feelings associated with them. These are often brands a customer has grown up with.
This is a measure that indicates what percentage of total users would be willing to pay 20 percent more for a brand’s products and services. We find overall, the more intimate the brand, the more people are wiling to a pay premium.
One of the six intimacy archetypes, ritual is when a person ingrains a brand into his or her daily actions. It is more than just habitual behavior. The brand becomes a vitally important part of daily existence.
Sharing is an early stage of Brand Intimacy. It is when the person and the brand engage and interact. There is a knowledge being shared, and the person is informed about what the brand is all about, and vice versa. At this stage, attraction occurs through reciprocity and assurance. Should the relationship advance, it would evolve to bonding. Should it decline, it would likely cause disengagement fueled by indifference.
Stages identify the depth and degree of intensity in the relationship between a consumer and a brand. There are three stages of intimacy with criteria for each progression:
Sharing is when the person and the brand engage and interact. There is a knowledge being shared, and the person is informed about what the brand is all about, and vice versa. At this stage, attraction occurs through reciprocity and assurance. Should the relationship advance, it would evolve to bonding. Should it decline, it would likely cause disengagement fueled by indifference.
Bonding is when an attachment is created and the relationship between a person and a brand becomes more significant and committed. This is a stage of acceptance and the establishment of trust. Should this stage advance, it would move to fusing.
Fusing is when a person and a brand are inexorably linked and co-identified. In this stage the identities of the person and the brand begin to merge and become a form of mutual realization and expression.
Part of our Brand Intimacy Model, a strong emotional connection is a key requirement and the foundation of intimacy. We believe the greater the emotional connection between a brand and consumer, the more powerful the relationship. A strong emotional connection is determined by the degree of overall positive feelings an individual has toward a brand, and the extend to which a person associates the brand with key attributes.
Part of the Brand Intimacy Model. In our research, a user is defined as someone who has utilized the brand within the last 12 months. User is the first part in our model since you cannot be intimate with a brand you have not engaged with or repeatedly tried. Think of this similar to human relationships, you cannot be intimate with someone you are not already involved with.