People who have heard Kevin Roberts, the chief executive officer of Saatchi & Saatchi, speak about "Lovemarks" tend to come away impressed. Not the least of these apparently was Ken Hicks, president and chief merchandising officer of J.C. Penney.
Last week, Penney announced it had hired Saatchi & Saactchi as its new ad agency of record. In a press release issued to announce the deal, Mr. Hicks, said, "The perception of J.C. Penney lives in the hearts and minds of our customers and is shaped by every interaction they have with our brand. Saatchi & Saatchi has a proven track record of working with clients to help them connect with customers."
For those not familiar with Mr. Roberts and Lovemarks, it is a term he invented to describe brands that connect with consumers on an emotional level. Lovemarks, Mr. Roberts claims, are able to create "loyalty beyond reason" on the part of consumers.
On landing the Penney account, Mr. Roberts, said, "In these times, forming long-term emotionally driven relationships with customers is the best way for a company to achieve prolonged success and unwavering customer loyalty. We want to help take J.C. Penney to the next level in connecting more deeply with its customers by inspiring 'love' for the J.C. Penney brand and elevating the brand into a true 'Lovemark.'"
In attempting to raise Penney to Lovemark level, Mr. Roberts, by his own definition may have bitten off more than he or his agency can chew.
Lovemarks, he has asserted, "reach your heart as well as your mind, creating an intimate, emotional connection that you just can't live without. Ever... Take a brand away and people will find a replacement. Take a Lovemark away and people will protest its absence. Lovemarks are a relationship, not a mere transaction. You don't just buy Lovemarks, you embrace them passionately. That's why you never want to let go."
Discussion Questions: What are your thoughts on the emotional connection consumers feel with J.C. Penney today? Does it have the potential to become a company that consumers embrace passionately; one that inspires "loyalty beyond reason?" What role will Saatchi & Saatchi's work play in creating this emotional connection between consumers and J.C. Penney or is it entirely up to the retailer to make this happen?