Live from PROMO EXPO: With Consumer In Charge, Get Their Love, Says Keynoter Kevin Roberts

Marketing is entering a brave new world and the next center of change must be the retail industry, according to Kevin Roberts, Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide CEO.

Kevin Roberts

With retail prime for a facelift, Roberts highlighted examples of how manufacturers can take advantage of the changing mass-market model—by focusing on consumers. Roberts spoke as keynote presenter for the 2004 PROMO Expo yesterday in Chicago.

“‘Brands’ are a dying breed because they have become ‘commodified to death,'” according to Roberts. “Building brands inch-by-inch is just not going to cut it anymore,” he said.

But a new paradigm is emerging, which Roberts coined as ‘lovemarks.’ What’s a ‘lovemark’? Super-involved brands that change people’s lives.

Lovemarks spark an ‘irresistible appeal,’ Roberts said. They are built on respect and love, creating “loyalty beyond reason,” he said; they are driven by three main components:

• Mystery. The more you know about a product, the less interesting it becomes. ‘You’ve got to keep the romance.’
• Sensuality. ‘Think sensorily’ to draw an audience.
• Intimacy. Know the consumer better than the consumer knows herself.

“Lovemarks are owned by the people who love them,” Roberts said.

Roberts showcased examples of lovemarks through a multi-media presentation of primarily European commercials, for products ranging from new vehicles, cereal and beer.

Marketers have tried to make brands irreplaceable, but in today’s market, it’s not enough, he said. “Now we must move from making the brand irreplaceable to making it irresistible,” Roberts said. “That’s the role we know now.”

Roberts suggested agencies and brand managers draw on the deep emotional connections consumers make with products or concepts. “Emotion leads to action,” Roberts said. “Emotion is an unlimited resource with unlimited power.”

“Only love will make irreplaceable brands irreplaceable,” Roberts said.

Roberts gave PROMO Expo attendees five ideas to help capture their own lovemarks:

First, tap into the dreams of your consumers. “Dreams create action and action inspires dreams.”

Second, manufacturers should tell their stories. “A great story never goes stale.”

Third, think “25 or less”—i.e., put your idea down in 25 words or less. Less is more, Fourth, retailers should be intimate with customers and consumers—watch what they do.

Roberts last piece of advice to his audience was, “Stay open to love,” he said. “Love and inspiration is the future.”