Blessed Are the Uncool

Lovemarks

This is one of the most surreal books I've ever read. It's by an advertising exec - someone paid to help companies make money. And it's about love.

Love? Kevin Roberts seems to honestly feel that the new frontier in branding is getting people to love particular brands. He points out the rabid fans behind Apple computers, for instance, and concludes that a love relationship exists between Apple and their consumers.

Kevin Roberts is no fool; that much is clear. What is bizarre to me is the conflation of love and consumer passion.

I've felt for a while that there's a world of difference between love as defined by Jesus (about laying down one's life for one's friends) and love as defined by pop culture (which is only about the moment). But love for companies?

I know that corporations cultivate long-term consumer loyalty. I remember that in high school I sometimes drew corporate logos on the back of my notebooks. (Maybe I can dig one up and scan it in for my readers.) But sometime we've got to become deeper people. There is a greater love out there, much greater.

This world is starving to death of soul-sickness, and lovemarks will only tease. Nothing against Kevin Roberts, because he needs to make a living, but love is deeper than branding because life is deeper than consumerism.

posted by locutus est @ Monday, February 19, 2007