A (BRAND) LOVE STORY

Last Friday I attended the Ignite Conference at the University of Minnesota with leaders from General Mills , Mayo Clinic , Land O'Lakes, Inc. , Ecolab , Minnesota Vikings , Optum , 3M , Polaris Inc. , Weber Shandwick , The Social Lights , Taylor Corporation and more.

David Kristal of Augeo started the day by talking about brand love within the context of driving lifetime customer value. What he said was quite profound:

“Brand love is the manifestation of feeling like you belong."

He went on, "As brands, we need to move from preference to soulful attachment.”

Even after several years building brands across industries and sectors, this was a fresh take for me, and it became a ding, ding, ding moment when my mom popped in my head. She is 80 years young (39 and holding if you ask her) and has been in a monogamous cosmetics relationship with The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. for 55 years and counting.

FROM COURTING TO COMMITMENT

I called Mom yesterday to talk about her “brand lover.” She says it started when she walked through the doors of Doerflinger’s Department Store in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, back in the 1970s. “The cosmetologists at the beauty counter were so sweet and fun and good mannered. They introduced me to Estée Lauder and showed me how to apply the face cream.” During that visit, the ladies invited Mom into the proverbial brand community and she’s been a “belonger” ever since.

When Doerflinger’s closed in 1984, Mom bought Estée Lauder at Dayton’s Department Store, and then later, Macy’s. As a kid, I remember the ladies with bright red lipstick and berry-stained cheeks singing “Here Comes Mary” as we walked up to the shiny counter flanked with perfumes in different-sized bottles and lipsticks in every color of the rainbow. Mom laughed and sang their names right back, dancing around like it was New Year’s Eve. They loved her and she loved them.

“The Estée Lauder ladies knew everything,” Mom said. “They always told me about the deals, like if I bought a particular product, I’d get a free gift.” Of course, this led to Mom trying and buying additional Estée Lauder products like eye cream (one for daytime and one for night time), face and neck cream, foundation, blush, lipstick and perfume. All products she purchases to this day.

A FAMILY AFFAIR

Mom started a fun tradition many years ago with my sisters and me. Here’s how it goes. When we come home to visit her – especially around the holidays and our birthdays in February (yes, we all were born in the same month) – Mom places a cosmetics bag at the head of the kitchen table, full of Estée Lauder goodies. We tap our toes on the floor and click our fingernails on the table as we wait in anticipation. She unzips the bag (Estée Lauder branded, of course), and one-by-one, she reveals what’s inside as we clap and cheer.

I always get the eye creams and the moisturized lipsticks in various shades of red and pink. Lori and Rebecca like the eyeshadows, eyeliners and mascara (I love the mascara, too, but I can't be too greedy!). We take turns on who gets the cosmetics bag (I think I’m up next!) and sometimes, you'll find us bartering. Just recently, Mom even started including the grandkids.

KEEPING THE ROMANCE ALIVE

Today, Mom orders Estée Lauder products over the phone through Macy's in Rochester, Minnesota. “Jeanette is always so sweet and happy when I call. They know me there and make me feel special.” Even after all these years, Mom gets really excited when the package arrives in the mail.

And she gets excited about compliments. My mom is a teacher and her students often tell her, “You smell so good, Mrs. D” and “I love your lipstick today!” Last week, one of the second-grade teachers asked Mom what she uses on her skin. “You look so young…you really don’t have many wrinkles.” Mom was flattered. “Can you believe it? Someone asking me what I use at the age of 80?” Of course, she told her colleague all about Estée Lauder, and poof! another person joined the club.

“I love everything about Estée Lauder…how it feels on my skin, the moisture, the beauty, the color, the fragrances," Mom told me. “When you look good, you feel good, and I will never switch brands.”

Talk about customer lifetime value!

For me, Estée Lauder is synonymous with my mom, and every time I dab on my Estée Lauder eye cream and moisturize my face like Mom taught me, I think of her and always will. It’s incredible how my mom’s love of this brand has made our bond stronger. In fact, one might say we’re soulfully attached.