On Brand Pride

I just finished watching my Horned Frogs destroy their first opponent in the College World Series. Upon the win, I immediately went to TCU's online bookstore and bought a new shirt. I made my purchase out of pride. I cheer for them out of pride. I wear purple out of pride for my Horned Frogs. I am proud to be a part of the TCU brand.

Alumni from most colleges have pride for the schools they attended. Aside from colleges, brand pride at this level is rare. Professional sports teams have this kind of relationship with their fans. Which turns their fans into consumers, helping them profit off of ticket sales and merchandising.

Apple is the only major brand that has tapped into this kind of brand pride. They have their Apple fanboys, sure, but they also have a huge group of regular people who will never buy a PC. Mac users, like myself, happily share the Apple story with others. We try and convert others to the brand. And we do it willingly because we're proud to be Mac owners. We're proud to have the cool new technology that Apple churns out before anyone else. We're proud to be a part of the Apple story.

Brands need to tap into this feeling of customer pride. They need to give their customers a reason to share their love of the brand with others. They need to give their customers something to be proud of.

Easier said then done, I know. But as marketers we can help. What does the brand you're marketing do that would make people proud to be a part of it? What is it about the brand that would get people talking about it unprovoked? What can the brand do to instill a sense of pride in their customers?

Pride makes people loyal. It makes people ambassadors. It makes people customers for life. Brand pride is rare, but it isn't impossible to achieve. And here's the proof: GO FROGS!!!!