Crushing on the Pub, My Lovemark

Oh how I love the Pub.  No, I'm not talking about your local beer joint, I'm talking about Publix Supermarkets.  Didn't see that one coming did you? Yeah, I get it, loving a grocery store might come off sounding a little psychotic, but you can relate i'm sure.  Everyone has their favorite brands, a brand that you're loyal to no matter what.  It can be compared to as a soul-mate or a best friend, something you never want to see go, something you will defend even if you know there's a chance they're in the wrong, something you get excited to see, or in marketing terms, a Lovemark.  Publix is my Lovemark.  I love Publix for many reasons that may be similar to the reasons why you are infatuated with your lovemark.  It's where my mom's always shopped, it's where i'm comfortable going.  I will drive the extra few miles it takes to get to Publix instead of going to a closer competitor.  The experience is just worth it to me, i've never had a negative experience at any Publix. Their customer service is top-notch, their 'Buy One Get One Free' weekly specials rock my world, and who am I kidding their subs, chocolate chip cookies and sweet tea can't be beat.  I can tell you a lot about Publix that the average grocery shopper wouldn't know including when their weekly ad changes, their mascots name (yes, Publix has a mascot, Plato the Publixsaurus), and what a rain check times 10 means.  Throwing the line, hooking the fish, and reeling in the catch is a marketers job, in short.  I'll be honest in saying Publix has me hooked.  How do companies lure consumers in and eventually capture their brand loyalty?  It's all about evoking emotion out of the consumer, making them feel as if they're part of the family.  From the family-oriented BBQ or birthday party commercials to the fourth of July weekly ad, Publix screams emotion and the importance of family to their customers.  If you share an infatuation with Publix like I do, you probably remember the Thanksgiving commercial that featured the 'pilgrim pair' salt and pepper shakers.  If you haven't seen this cute and clever commercial, watch it here.

 The premise of the commercial is family, the commercial ends with the quote "there's nothing like being together for the holidays," which is the only audio in the commercial, besides the fast-paced music.  In fact,  after my mom saw that commercial, she went out and bought the exact salt and pepper shakers, which we still have and use every Thanksgiving holiday.  You're probably still pondering over what the nickname 'the pub' has anything to do with this.  My mom has always called Publix, "the pub." So, in short that's what my family has come to call it.  Publix has taken advantage of getting on social media platforms in order to reach the customer better.  Most of their tweets interact with their customer by asking questions like "what food could you eat everyday for the rest of your life?"  Responding to consumers feedback, both positive and negative comments, on social media sites is HUGE. Publix actively responds to customers and takes action to fix the said issue or hand out appropriate praise when neccesary.  Publix also boasts a strong record of being a company with excellent company culture, as it has been ranked as Fortune's "Best Companies to work for" every year since 1998.  What allows a company to become a lovemark for a consumer?  In my opinion, a company that is able to relate and interact with consumers on a human level, a company that invokes emotion and feelings from a consumer, and a company that evolves throughout time in order to be where there consumers are (social media, for example) is a company that will have the upper-hand in cultivating a life-long relationship with consumers.