My status with Marmite was originally quite simple : # Ilovemarmite . So , when my supermarket of choice stopped stocking it I , along with many other Marmite lovers , descended into mild panic as # Marmitegate erupted .
Although my supply of Marmite was very low , I waited a few days to see how # marmitegate would play out . Another retailer was an option , but my Tesco is conveniently located , stocks ( almost ) everything I need at the right price so I know my purchases will be within my budget . In my Marmite-induced mild panic , competitor brands tried to woo me , but , for me , there can be only one . In fact , the shortage made me love Marmite even more !
My state of mind with regards to Marmite was full commitment , so I did not even consider alternative products . I eventually went to a different supermarket and stocked up on Marmite .
Because of my extra strong , positive emotional connection to Marmite (# iheartmarmite ) I overcame the barriers of availability and price so I could still have my beloved Marmite for breakfast but Tesco didn ’ t get my money . My love for Marmite introduced me to a new store which offered me all the same things as Tesco , but in my ( Marmite ) moment that mattered , the new store offered me more . My mental network for Tesco changed and so did my buying behaviour . My experience disrupted my mental network for Tesco , but reinforced my mental network for Marmite . Because my emotional connection with Tesco was weak , as soon as their relevance to me declined it was easy to consider other options and make different choices .
Now that I have two supermarkets in my mental network , they compete for brand desire . If I were asked how I would rate the emotional and functional performance of both stores in a survey , I would have rated Tesco higher than the new store . Despite this , Tesco fell short when it mattered and now comes second to the competitor store when it comes to brand desire . Remember , it ’ s complicated and this idea of rank ( Tesco is now second ) complicates it even further . My brand desire for Tesco was impacted not only by my perception of it versus others , but also the number of competing brands that represent viable alternatives . Brand rank can be likened to the most viewed , shared or liked social media posts which are also impacted by other factors like seeding and ease of sharing . So , is love all that matters ? Well , for human relationships perhaps , but for brand relationships not so much . Emotional connection is only one of a few different elements that are considered in our decision processes , be they conscious or unconscious .
We live in a systemic world of multiple rather than dichotomous choices and influences . When we measure how well a brand is doing we need to measure why people choose it and then how we can influence those choices through a number of lenses . Looking at what is going on for a brand in a holistic manner is more likely to result in a successful outcome for brand desire than focusing on one element only (# itscomplicated ).