Branding When Fournier Discusses Having a Relationship

Branding

When Fournier discusses having a relationship with a brand, she means that sometimes consumers develop an attachment to a brand, rather than the product. The brand starts to have importance that goes beyond the product's functionality. The implication of brand relationship is not that of a two-way street; it is an imperfect metaphor.

The category being discussed is auto repair. One company is Midas and another might be the dealership where the car was purchased. I do not believe that consumers have relationships with these brands. In most cases, the relationship with the mechanic is more pragmatic -- the mechanic has value because of its ability to fix the car. The brand itself I believe is relatively irrelevant in this category. There may be a relationship with the specific outlet of a given chain, either on account of the personal relationships or on account of the functionality of the service, but in any case this relationship doesn't extend beyond a single location.

3. I do not believe, based on my own experience and understanding of the concept of brand relationships, that consumers have relationships with all brands. I do believe, however, that consumers have relationships with some brands. The loyalty that some consumers have to, for example Apple Computers or Corona beer, transcends the actual benefits of the product. Consumers in many categories demonstrate a preference for a certain brand that seems to outweigh the tangible benefits of that product or service. However, this only applies to some products, and I do not believe that it applies to all products.

4. The key to distribution of auto repair services is in the buildout of locations. A company like Midas has a high degree of saturation of locations. Many major automakers have extensive networks of dealer service centers as well. These two brands can be strong enough to convince consumers to travel beyond their nearest auto repair center to go with a brand that they know. However, brand loyalty is generally fairly low. If a customer prefers Midas, it is probably more because of the brand's saturation than the building of any long-lasting relationship between the consumer and the brand. The same is true of dealer networks. They do not have a relationship with consumers on their own. However, it is possible that dealer networks have a brand relationship with consumers that is based on the relationship that the consumer has with the automobile brand.

In my experience it is fairly common that consumers will form relationships with their vehicles, and sometimes they even anthropomorphize them. Thus, any relationship with the dealer is an extension of the relationship that the consumer has with that brand of vehicle. It may be, however, that the dealer service becomes part of the relationship that the consumer has with the vehicle -- not only does the consumer love that brand of vehicle but the consumer loves the service that is associated with that brand.