Think about the last brand you truly loved. Chances are, you fell in love with that brand the same way you fall in love with a person – you were drawn to something different and emotionally resonant about it. Maybe it had a quirky personality, a bold mission, or a style that clicked with you on a deeper level.
For example, Liquid Death (yes, the water in a tallboy can) broke every rule in the book with its heavy-metal branding and irreverent humor. It turned plain water into a rebellious lifestyle statement, building a loyal tribe of fans who can’t get enough of its witty, “Death to plastic” ethos. Those customers aren’t just mildly interested; they’re head-over-heels because the brand makes them feel part of an inside joke and a cause.
Similarly, think of Apple. People don’t line up overnight for the latest iPhone just for specs – they do it because Apple makes them feel cool and part of a bigger community. From the moment you unbox an Apple product, the seamless design and experience create an emotional connection. Apple isn’t just selling devices; it’s offering a lifestyle and shared identity. That’s brand love in action, the kind of love built on uniqueness and emotion.
And once people fall in love, guess what? They become loyal – just like a committed partner, they’ll go out of their way to stay loyal. When a customer is smitten with your brand, no substitute will do. Consider that Apple’s brand loyalty has reached as high as 90% in recent years. Millions of Apple fans won’t even consider switching, because why would you leave the one you love? Some customers will drive an extra 30 minutes just to get coffee from “their” favorite cafe, or refuse to buy anything but Glossier for skincare because that brand just gets them. The most extreme fans even literally wear their loyalty – Harley-Davidson, Nike, Coca-Cola, and Apple devotees have tattooed those logos on their bodies. (Talk about commitment!)
We’ve all seen people camp overnight for product launches or evangelize a brand to all their friends. That devotion isn’t logical – it’s emotional. It’s the kind of devotion you expect in a strong marriage: once you’ve found “the one,” you’re not looking for replacements and you’ll stick through thick and thin.
Like any successful marriage, branding requires consistency, honesty, and showing up day after day. You can’t promise one thing on a first date and then be a totally different person a month later – that would break trust. The same goes for brands: you build trust by being reliable and authentic over time.
Consistency is key. In fact, maintaining a consistent brand – in look, voice, and values – isn’t just a marketing nicety; it directly creates trust and loyalty. Think of your brand’s tone, design, and customer experience as the behaviors in a relationship. Are you delivering a familiar, positive experience each time, or are you sending mixed signals?
Great brands show up consistently everywhere: if you see an Apple ad or walk into an Apple store, it always feels like Apple. That consistency makes customers feel secure, like they “know” the brand on a personal level. On the flip side, if your brand breaks its promises or starts acting “out of character,” customers feel betrayed. (Remember, even in love, honesty is non-negotiable.) Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose – and without trust, the relationship falls apart fast.
Being consistent doesn’t mean being bland or trying to make everyone happy. In fact, another marriage-like aspect of branding is knowing exactly who you’re for – and who you’re not for. No relationship is one-size-fits-all, and no brand should try to please everyone. As the saying goes, if you’re for everyone, you’re for no one.
The strongest brands take a stand and attract a specific tribe, just as the happiest relationships are between partners who share core values. Liquid Death isn’t trying to win over health purists who prefer a serene mountain spring aesthetic – and that’s by design. By being unapologetically edgy and weird, it attracts exactly the customers who crave that vibe and repels those who don’t.
The result? The right people love it even more.
Another example: Glossier built its brand for a certain type of beauty enthusiast (think minimalist, “skin first” millennials) and fostered a community around that identity. If someone wanted heavy contoured makeup, Glossier was not their go-to – and that was fine! By clearly saying “we’re for these people” (and implicitly “not for others”), these brands formed deeper bonds with their target audience.
In branding, just like finding a life partner, you must embrace who you are and who you’re meant to be with. It might mean excluding some people, but it’s in service of strengthening the bond with your ideal customers.
Also, a brand – like a potential partner – needs to present itself well. In romance, a bit of effort on presentation goes a long way: you dress up a little, you mind your manners, you show your best self. Similarly, a brand needs to look and sound put-together to make a strong impression.
This isn’t about having a fancy logo for the sake of it; it’s about aligning how you look, how you speak, and what you stand for so that people instantly understand you. You wouldn’t show up to a first date in dirty, mismatched clothes and mumble incoherently, right? (Not if you want a second date, anyway.) In the same way, if your website, logo, and messaging are sloppy or inconsistent, potential customers will sense that disconnect and lose interest fast.
Successful companies invest in design and brand voice because those are like body language and conversation in a relationship – they communicate who you are before you even say a word. Think of Apple’s sleek, minimalist packaging and interface, or Nike’s bold, motivational tone. These brands present themselves with intention: every visual and verbal cue reinforces the story they want you to believe about them.
When your brand’s look and language consistently reflect its personality and values, you make it easy for people to understand and trust you. It feels like, “Hey, this brand is exactly who I thought they were” – which is exactly what you want your customer (or your partner) to feel.
At the heart of all this is purpose, clarity, and alignment. Great marriages often thrive on shared values and a clear sense of purpose – maybe it’s building a family, or traveling the world together, or supporting each other’s dreams.
Likewise, great brands know why they exist and make sure everything they do aligns with that purpose. When a brand has a clear mission or raison d’être, it gives the relationship with customers deeper meaning beyond just transactions. A classic example is Patagonia: its purpose (environmental stewardship) is so ingrained in its brand that customers feel like they’re part of a movement when they buy Patagonia gear.
That kind of purpose-driven branding creates a strong emotional bond – customers stick around not just because the jackets are good, but because they believe in what the brand believes.
Whatever your brand’s purpose is, be clear about it and live it authentically. If you’re just paying lip service to values, people can tell (nobody likes a phony suitor). But when you truly walk the talk – when your products, customer service, and even internal culture all sing in harmony about who you are – you build a reputation for integrity.
And integrity is extremely attractive. It’s like being the dependable partner who always shows up when it matters. That’s how you earn devotion for the long haul.
In short, branding is like marriage. It’s about courting the right people, winning their hearts, and then doing the work every single day to keep that relationship healthy and thriving. It’s not a fling or a one-off hookup with your customer; it’s a long-term commitment.
You wouldn’t go on a date without brushing your hair, and you shouldn’t launch without a brand strategy in place – first impressions and consistent effort are everything. So ask yourself as a founder or business owner: Is my brand someone my customers could fall in love with?
Am I showing them who I really am, staying true to my word, and making them feel valued and understood?
Building a brand without strategy or purpose is like expecting a marriage to succeed without love or communication. It just doesn’t work. But when you invest in your brand with the same care you’d invest in an important relationship, the payoff is huge.
People will not only buy from you – they’ll believe in you, stick with you, and even cheer you on. They’ll become loyal advocates who proudly tell others about “this amazing brand” they adore.
At the end of the day, people fall in love with brands the same way they fall in love with people. They seek that spark of uniqueness, a connection that feels genuine, and the trust that grows over time through consistent care.
If you nurture your brand like a marriage – with passion, authenticity, and commitment – you won’t just get customers. You’ll earn lifelong fans who stay by your side, in good times and bad, ’til death do you part (or at least until retirement).
And isn’t that what every founder ultimately wants for their brand?
Want help building a brand your customers will fall in love with? Book a free brand audit with our team at Urban Creatives and let’s make it a love story for the ages.
