The problem with Loyalty is…Loyalty
There are 32,700,000 google links to the word loyalty. And I am almost willing to bet there are almost as many different interpretations of what loyalty means.
For some it’s a based on Share of Wallet or frequency of purchase or emotional linkages or the absolute size of one’s LTV. Others still seek to transform customers into purchasing machines - habit devoid of comparison.
Consumers on the other hand confuse the issue even more by buying on the basis of the price pattern and incentive conditioning we teach them, on the basis of convenience or indeed on the basis of some level of preference bestowed upon a competitive set of brands.
Part of the problem is that we are using the wrong word to describe what we are trying to accomplish. According to Meriam-Webster:
Loyalty: unswerving in allegiance: as a): faithful in allegiance to one's lawful sovereign or government b): faithful to a private person to whom fidelity is due c): faithful to a cause, ideal, custom, institution, or product.
Do customers have an unswerving allegiance? Are they faithful? Does any of this remotely describe the realities of a commercial exchange? It’s no wonder that reaching a consensus definition on ‘loyalty’ isn’t forthcoming. But, consider a different term – one which captures the ebb and flow customers have with different brands at different times, places, occasions.
Perhaps we should be using:
Affinity: sympathy marked by community of interest : KINSHIP; likeness based on relationship or causal connection.
Let us then consider the use of brand affinity in place of brand loyalty. And if we can agree that a brand is defined by the promises kept, then loyalty should be defined as an affinity strengthened.
Affinities are like alliances built on interests – and to borrow a quote from Henry Kissinger, “ A brand doesn’t have friends – it has interests.”
Viewed from the standpoint of affinities – I think it becomes easier to understand the nature and strength of the relationship.
There’s my definition – so now we have 32,700,001.
