5 Brands I Shouldn't Love (But Do, and Why, and What Other Brands Can Learn)

Zappos_Logo

Why I shouldn't love them: They sell shoes.  And mostly shoes I could find in a million and one other places.

Why I do: They are simple, fast, attentive.

What you can learn from my love:  Even if you are a box pusher, you can create brand love around superior customer service.

Kiehl_s_fashionlabelLogo  
Why I shouldn't love them: Um, they make creams and lotions. 

Why I do: They've recognized that men prefer different packaging than women.  I have no problems with my Kiehl's facial Fuel sitting on my bathroom counter.

What you can learn from my love:  Not all customers are created equal. Cater to our specific needs, and we'll reward you with purchases and WOM (this post is a good example).

Levis_logo
Why I shouldn't love them: They were kicked around by investors and marketing analysts alike in the late 90s and early 00s. It would have been easy to pile on.

Why I do:  They've bucked the designer jean trend ... the $50 501 is still a thing of beauty.

What you can learn from my love: Leveraging your status as a "classic" is a good thing, as long as you don't come off as "old".

TheBeatlesLogo2
Why I shouldn't love them: No iTunes distribution.

Why I do: Love Me Do, Let It Be, Help ... just to name a few.

What you can learn from my love:  Content is king.

Chicago-cubs-logo
Why I shouldn't love them:  100+ years of misery, and historically owned by a company that seemed to care less about fielding a competitive team than a good TV deal.

Why I do: Wrigley Field is a shrine unlike any other.

What you can learn from my love:  It's not always about being the biggest and baddest, but rather about your providing the best all-around experience for your customers.