Brands that Make Fans
What do the Steelers, Campbells Soup, and Duncan Hines have in common?

During the Super Bowl coverage, I was struck by how often the commentators mentioned the overwhelming number of Steeler's fans. They seemed to outnumber the Cardinal fans 5 to 1. There was just something about this team that drew the fans out in droves, in a way that the Cardinal team was unable to do. And it all comes down to brand loyalty.

A really great brand doesn't just set itself apart, a really great brand makes an emotional connection with people, building trust, eliciting loyalty, and, in many cases, a feeling of love.

A few years ago, I asked my mother, who'd seen a lot of changes, and a lot of Super Bowl victories, over her lifetime, what technology or product she was most loyal to. I expected she would say the telephone, automatic transmission or Pampers. She thought for a minute, went to our kitchen cupboard and pulled out a can of Campbell's Tomato Soup and a box of Duncan Hines Chocolate Cake Mix.

Campbell's Soup
"This," she said, "made me a better mother," pointing to the can of tomato soup. "This is what I gave you every day at lunch and you liked it. It wasn't just good. It was MMMmm good. It gave me confidence that I could be a good mom."

Good soup. Good mom. I remember walking home from elementary school for lunch everyday. My mom was right. That bowl of soup was a symbol of connection and consistency. My mother associated that product with something that was important to her... giving my brother and me food we liked. Of course, the product itself had nothing to do with being a good mother. But that's what it meant to her.

And it must have done the same for millions of other moms. 89% percent of American households purchase Campbell's soups with an average of eleven cans of Campbell's soup in their pantries at all times. It has a 69 percent share of the U.S. wet soup market, selling almost three billion cans of soup every year. At a 15%-28% price premium.

Duncan Hines Chocolate Cake Mix
As for the cake mix box, what did it contain? Flour, sugar and chocolate flavoring, all ingredients she had in the cupboard as well. So why was this the one of her top contenders for innovation of a lifetime? "It was so easy, we could do it together," she said. "You couldn't blow it."

The Promise of a Brand
Campbell's soup and Duncan Hines cake mixes aren't just products. They are brands that have built a loyal customer base, and they have built it through longevity, consistent quality, maintaining a positive image, loving their customers back, and always fulfilling the function for which they are known for.

Much in the same way the Steeler's have the best fans in the league. The Steeler's have had the same ownership since day one, have always been known as a high-values team that mirrors the city of its birth, and gives back to the fans all of the love they are given.

By treating your customers the same, you too can build a loyal fan base for your products and services. To learn more about building a 'nation' of customers and fans, please contact DROZ at 412.338.1818, or ddroz@droz.com.