Love and Hate in Branding

It’s incredible how much a person can love or hate a brand. The brands on my personal no-go list are the brands that I am quick to warn my friends of and offer better alternatives. On the other hand, the brands I love, I’m just as fast to share my positive experience with my friends and network. Here is an example of a brand I hate versus a brand I love.

Monsanto

Talk about the scum of the earth! As a two-time cancer survivor, my blood boils when I think about Monsanto. They have knowingly used harmful pesticides and chemicals on crops. They are corporate bullies and have strong-armed farmers all over the country. Unfortunately, they’ve been able to get away with their nefarious behaviors since they have lobbyist connections and are presumably protected by others who are financially incentivized to look the other way. If you Google “why is Monsanto hated so much,” you will be flooded with content to choose from.

Trader Joe’s

I cannot begin to explain how much I love going to Trader Joe’s. It’s the only grocery store I will happily wait outside in line for (to adhere to Covid-19 capacity restrictions). They do so many things right. They’re known for treating their employees well, and in turn, I think that makes them happier and more fulfilled employees. But that ripples into the customer experience, too! A couple of months ago, one of their employees randomly gave me a free bouquet of gorgeous flowers while I was browsing their cheese section! They’ve made it a part of their brand experience to bring joy to their customers. Not to mention, they always go above and beyond in terms of meeting the customer expectations around grocery shopping by providing great pricing, delicious foods, and unique options that can’t be found elsewhere.

As you can see, there is a stark contrast between the brand I love versus the brand I hate. As a marketer, it is essential to consider how you make your customer feel and what their lasting impression of your brand is!