Inspirational Consumer: April 2006

Jean Manuel, France

I think the essence of a Lovemark is its relation to your emotions. There are many ways a bond is created between a given product/person/place/service and oneself. For some, tangible qualities do the job, and for others, purely emotional ones. Some brands need to stay forever the way they are (i.e. Levi’s 501) because we buy them for what they are and always have been. Others need to evolve constantly and improve because we buy them for their cutting edge technology or style.

I basically have two buying habits. First, I buy something when I need it. Second, when I see something I didn’t think of in a store and then decide I want to get it. I don’t have favorite shops but there are places where I know I will most likely find what I’m looking for. Like Le Bon Marché department store in Paris and FNAC stores for electronics, videos and music.

I have several Lovemarks, but so far, my absolute Lovemarks are my Fiat Cinquecento and Cuban cigars. If I would have to select another “must have” Lovemark, I would say the Barcelona chair from Mies van der Rohe. I have sat on that chair on several occasions and even though I find it incredibly beautiful, to my chagrin, it is also “with due respect to its creator “uncomfortable”. However, its design is so perfect that one day I may succumb to its beauty. We have a French saying, “L’amour a des raisons que la raison ne connaît pas” (Love has reasons that reason cannot understand).