For some reason I was thinking yesterday about companies I feel emotionally attached to. And while this is off the beaten trail of my usual posts, I was really curious: What brands have you bonded with?
What companies do you trust so much that when they release a new product, you automatically prime yourself to try it out? Which companies would you be most likely to believe if they made an unlikely claim in an advertisement? What companies are you following on facebook–or better yet–you like getting their e-newsletters? Where will you go out of your way to shop?
Just remember: Brand loyalty transcends simply liking their products and prices.
Here’s my list:
1. Wegmans: The first company I think I ever consciously realized I had bonded with. After a semester at college away from this beloved grocery store, it was the first place I wanted to visit when I went home. Gelsons, Nugget, and Fresh and Easy are my California substitutes, but for me, Wegmans IS home.
Gloomy sky = Typical upstate New York day.
2. 
Audible.com: Sometimes brand loyalty surpasses reason. My Audible subscription is expensive and I only get a book a month, but darn them, they gave me some really nice customer service a couple of years ago and I’ve never been able to break off the relationship since.
One of my Modcloth dresses
3. Modcloth: There’s something about taking a survey on a site and actually seeing your suggestions implemented on a site. And the company’s vintage image happens to really resonate with me, so that helps too.
4. ThinkGeek: I always feel bad when I find products on ThinkGeek and then buy them on Amazon for cheaper. Something in me really wants to pay my money to the geek cause and I can guarantee that as time goes on, I’ll be much more likely to start buying from them directly.
How can you say “no” to a company that uses monkey breath in their packaging material?
5. Disney: Not the movies so much, but the parks. As a kid, I watched the Disney World travel promotional videos over and over again, pining for my chance to go and even today I buy into the magical ideal. As an adult, I am fascinated by the intense psychology and funds that go into making the parks magical. If you told me Disney was opening a laundry mat, I would probably scramble to sign up for it because I know it would be gorgeous, fun, and amazing customer service. Here’s an article that illustrates what I mean.
I guess this is a Lychee…
6. Yogurtland: Not only my favorite frozen yogurt (I will drive quite a distance when I have a craving), but it’s the only place where I get daring in my food choices. I’m a picky eater, usually terrified of trying a new food, so it’s impressive that I feel safe enough at Yogurtland to buy “lychee tart” when I have no idea what a lychee is.
7. Google: If Google ran for President, I would vote for it, if Google decided to just take over the world and run it as a dictatorship…I’d probably be okay with that. About once a week I discover a new feature Google has to offer. Words can’t express how much I love Google. This helpful warning has saved me SO often!
I am the proud owner of an Easy button 😀
8. Staples: Always had a fondness for office supplies, but Staples won me over when I became a secretary. I took a random plastic folder (my new boss’s favorite) to the store and spent 2o minutes trying to find more of them. A Staples assistant was able to find me the exact folders in about 5 minutes just by eyeballing it.
9. Days of Wonder: A board game company that has made so many games that my friend group has cherished (all with gorgeous artwork) that I pretty much would buy any game they released without knowing anything about it.
One of my favorite Days of Wonder games: Shadows Over Camelot.
10. Lucasarts: Similar to #9, I’ve had such good experiences with old and new Lucasarts games that I feel a sort of kinship with the brand. I always know that their humor will be spot on and I’ll try anything with their name stamped on it. Also, so much childhood nostalgia!
I like my computer games old school.
To Reach the Unreachable Star 