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 t
