Comments on: For the Love of a Chicken Sandwich

By: Branding Blog Branding Company Corporate Internet Brand Image Strategy

Branding Blog Branding Company Corporate Internet Brand Image Strategy — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:00:54 +0000

[...] Jones over at BOF wrote an article in the other direction on [...]

By: Justine

Justine — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:02:15 +0000

Sorry for not getting in this sooner. Because if you live anywhere in the south, chances are you know people who genuinely love chick-fil-a. Including me.

Here’s a thought.

The average tenure of a franchise owner within Chick-fil-a is 20 years.

That says something in an industry where turnover is rampant. If you know anything about how they operate internally (everybody knows about the Sunday closed - but there’s a lot more), it makes you love the brand all the more.

By: Jenny

Jenny — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:02:16 +0000

i like chick-fil-a, but the lack of grilled products annoys me…and the fact that everytime i order a chick-fil-a sandwich with the meat switched to grilled (not the chargrilled deluxe, but a regular sandwich with grilled meat) they never get it right.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:45:45 +0000

While were on Chick-Fil-A thought you might be interested in this. Perhaps it is part of what creates such brand enthusiasm

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2008/03/03/daily12.html?f=et64&ana=e_du

By: Christy

Christy — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:23:26 +0000

Spike, do you notice that there are simply some personality types that won’t exhibit this type of behavior, no matter what the product? In other words, just because a segment of the population won’t sleep out in the parking lot for *anyone* doesn’t mean that there isn’t someone who will?

Or, what moves me doesn’t move you.

Better, trying to build a web site based on what *you* want, assuming that what you want is what everyone else wants.

25% of BK’s customers generate 50% of their sales?? Wow! It’s obviously sustaining a healthy business, and ringing true for a good chunk of people. That sounds more like business success to me than being “it” for everyone.

By: olivier blanchard

olivier blanchard — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:45:33 +0000

Remember back in the 80’s, the dweebs who loved Michael Jackson soooo much they wore Michael Jackson jackets? (You know, the red ones with the padded shoulders and all the zippers?) Those guys were fans in need of dignity.

Camping out outside the Apple store to spend $700 on an iPhone may seem a little nutty - especially since these fans probably don’t make CEO wages - but at least they’re getting an iPhone.

I am not the type to camp out for days just to be among the first to get an iPhone or Star Wars movie tickets or a Chicken Sandwich or the new XBox or the new whatever. But I have to admire the all too rare company or artist who can generate THAT level of fanaticism in even a few dozen customers/users/fans.

There’s definitely something pretty special to be learned there.

By: olivier blanchard

olivier blanchard — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:38:57 +0000

Ooooo. Krispy Kreme! Now you’re talking.

By: BIG Kahuna

BIG Kahuna — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:51:13 +0000

I think what you’re calling an evangelist is something I’m calling a fanatic in this case. Some people like to dress up like Darth Vador to see a Star Wars movie. I like Star Wars and I’m loyal but I sure as heck don’t dress up.

Guess I’m not one of the evangelists then. But I’ve seen Star Wars about 1000 times and own every freakin DVD. Different levels of love is good. Anytime someone frequents your company they are being loyal.

Ah, we agree to disagree yet again. Maybe someday one of us will say “hey I totally agree with you”.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:06:44 +0000

If the ever elusive “iPhone killer” comes out, would you buy it? If yes (or if there is any kind of qualifier, like “only if it does this and that”), then you’re not loyal.

The key here is, if a Zaxby’s or KFC opens up next to a Chick-Fil-A, these people would still go to Chick-Fil-A, because they are loyal. And that’s a very important group to recognize and love.

By: Spike

Spike — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:59:49 +0000

Scott, I wrote in the original post what definition of loyalty I am referring to. Just because you buy a product from a company doesn’t mean you’re loyal to them.

And if you think that passionate customers - loud and proud evangelists - are “morons” and don’t “have some dignity,” then I’m afraid you’ll never see the forest OR the trees.

As I also stated before 25% of one major company’s customers account for 50% of their sales. I was wrong. I actually found that 13% of their customers make up 49% of their sales. And I’m positive that they are not the exception to any rule. So even if the “fanatics” of Chick-fil-A are a tiny percentage, I’m willing to bet that they make up a large chunk of their sales. On top of that, they create their own marketing messages (for free) and tell everyone who will listen how they should go and try their food (again, for free).

Loyalty is NOT frequency. Frequency pretty much equates to convenience. And customer satisfaction is not loyalty, either. It’s a customer that likes you. Do you want to be liked? Or be loved. With a passion. Because loyalists love you. As in the original post, it is “the willingness to make an investment or personal sacrifice to strengthen a personal relationship.” THAT is true loyalty.