All you need is... love

Have Saatchi & Saatchi found the magic formula for successful marketing in the attraction economy?

Around five years ago Saatchi & Saatchi global chief executive Kevin Roberts drew back the curtain on the latest phase toward successful consumer marketing, opening the world's eyes to a very contemporary phenomenon. He called it "Lovemarks: The future beyond brands."

"There's a context - the world's moved on, things have changed and so have brands," says Steve Anastasiadis, CEO of Saatchi's Dubai office. "First the manufacturers had the power, then it shifted to the retailers - so the Wal-Marts etc had control of what they stocked and who they stocked and how much they stocked. Now the world has changed in terms of media proliferation and, ultimately, choice. The consumer's in charge now.

So what exactly are Lovemarks? According to the website a Lovemark is a brand that is infused with three ingredients: Mystery, Sensuality and Intimacy. So far, so intangible (and quite confusing). But once Anastasiadis explains the concept it becomes almost childishly simple.

"Lovemarks isn't some theoretical science that dazzles with the complexities - it's based on a very simple premise: We are emotional beings. There's a quote by [neurologist Donald] Calne that we sometimes refer to: "The essential difference between emotion and reason is that emotion leads to action while reason leads to conclusions.""

The consumer purchasing the product is, of course, the action that every manufacturer or service provider wants. So the fundamental questions remain: What is the best way to achieve this? And who are the best examples?

"Globally there are lots! Harley-Davidson, Apple, Starbucks, Coke are just a few. People change their lifestyles for Harleys, they become weekend warriors - it takes them away from themselves. And actually Harley isn't faster or technologically better than the other guys but it taps into deep emotional territory and that's what Lovemarks are about.

They don't talk about ‘we're faster' or ‘our detergents wash brighter' and all those traditional ways of marketing, it's on a much more personal level. It's an understanding of what's important to people and what they care about.

"Look at Apple; whether it's iPods or iMacs they tap into something that's much more sensual, it's a desire you want to have an iMac - as a creative person it's the currency, if you don't have one there's something wrong. Take iPods, people can argue until they're blue in the face that a competitor is faster, better, cheaper, lasts longer, has more memory - I know all that but it doesn't matter, I still won't give up my iPod.

"Starbucks is into sensuality and intimacy. They've marketed themselves as ‘The Third Place'; there's Home, there's Work and there's Starbucks. Now, other people might say ‘but look, we have better coffee', but that's not really the point. People don't just go there for the coffee, people go there for the experience."

The marketing for Pampers, one of Saatchi's regional client brands, is an ideal example of how tapping into consumers emotionally is paying off. The mark is the market leader by sales and is enjoying double-digit growth year-on-year. Rather than focusing the campaign on the ‘dry' aspect of the nappy the team shifted attention to how it helps babies to develop.

It's about understanding what's important to the people who are buying Pampers. Kids' brains process the day in their sleep, so a good night is hugely important to a baby's development. So the nappies have been improved for comfort and dryness to allow the baby to get the best night's sleep: When you explain development to a mother and you talk about how important a good night's sleep is for their child, then they get it.