A long-standing brand marketing career will no doubt guide your perspective on what it means to be ‘loyal’ to something. As a marketing professional, I have spent a good part of my career trying to get consumers to be loyal to the brands for which I worked — in essence, I’ve been paid to help build this thing called, ‘brand loyalty.’ ‘Brand loyalty’ often refers to a person’s tendency to consistently choose products or services from a particular brand over others, due to their satisfaction, trust, or strong attachment to that brand. The exact origin of the term is challenging to pinpoint, but it is closely associated with consumerism which greatly increased during the 20^th century. Over time, as businesses and researchers have studied consumer behavior, they recognized the importance of building and maintaining brand loyalty as a key element of a successful marketing strategy. It’s a critical concept for businesses seeking to establish strong connections with their customers and maintain market share. Companies spend millions upon millions of dollars to get consumers to be loyal to their brands.

You can do a Google Search to find that many brands we know and love today have been around for 100+ years (Coca-Cola, Levi Strauss & Co, John Deere, L.L. Bean), some even a few hundred years (Bakers Chocolate, Brooks Brothers, Colgate, Crane & Co., Stella Artois). These brands stand the test of time because of their consistency in providing consumers with high-quality brand experiences. Many are coined “lifestyle brands” — products or services that we associate with a particular way of life, set of values, or identity. They seek to create deeper emotional connections with their consumers and their success often relies on their ability to authentically connect with their target audience and convey a sense of belonging and shared values. So as a brand marketer who loves and follows Jesus and ponders this idea of “loyalty,” I can’t help but think the reason some brands are so successful in building loyalty is that they are tapping into the very fiber of what God has woven into each of us — this sense of belonging. It’s something I desire, and whether we are cognitively aware of it or not, we witness people trying to achieve all around us, every day in our world. In essence, trying to fill God-sized holes with brand experiences that exude worth and/or belonging is commonplace. This is something I need to consistently keep myself in check on. As someone who is a marketer, loves nice things, and has several brands to which I am loyal, I need to be mindful that I am not seeking to fill my God-sized holes with stuff. When I introduce stuff into my world, I need to ask, Why? Am I keeping up with the Joneses? Am I trying to make some sort of impression? The reality is, certain brands can label you. And as a person who tends to put too much value on what others think, I need to stay aware of this for myself.

But here is something (Someone) spectacular and worth investing everything in…Jesus. Christianity was the first, and without a doubt is still, the most successful ‘lifestyle brand’ to which people have been ‘brand loyal’ far longer than any other. No other brand or product or idea in the history of the world can claim a 2000+ year following. And this “lifestyle brand” to which we are loyal only grows stronger over time. It’s the only One that can truly deliver on ALL its promises. The only One that can offer a sustained sense of belonging. The only One that will not change with the wind. Because it’s way more than a “lifestyle brand.” It’s everything. And it’s free to us. And our loyalty to this One brings far more benefits than I could list here, and an everlasting life greater than we could imagine.  

Loyalty to God and loyalty to the world represent two different sets of values and priorities that not surprisingly are in tension with one another. Let’s take a look at the influence of brands vs. the influence of God. Or otherwise stated, what loyalty to the world gives us vs. loyalty to God.

The Influence of Brands	The Influence of God
Offers temporary happiness	Offers eternal contentment and perspective
Is outwardly impressive to others	Is focused on blessing others
Focused self-interest	Focused on self-sacrifice
Identity based on perception	Identity based on your Creator
Comes from corporations trying to capture dollars	Comes from a Father trying to capture your heart
Wants you to feel like you belong	Knows you don’t have to do anything to belong
Focused on reinforcing a brand story	Focused on reinforcing God’s story

Loyalty is a central theme we read about in the Bible, and loyalty to Jesus is about a deep, personal commitment to living a life that reflects His teachings, being in a faithful relationship with Him, and His loyalty to us. Scripture gives us exactly what we need when we ‘feel we need’ something. When loyalties to the world feel empty, we can assuredly get filled by His word. These are just a few verses that encourage us to love and serve God with all our hearts, maintaining faithfulness and loyalty to Him, and choosing Him above anything else:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” – Deuteronomy 6:5

“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:15

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.” – Proverbs 3:3

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'” – Matthew 22:37

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” – Colossians 3:23

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” – 2 Chronicles 16:9a

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” – Hebrews 10:23

There will always be products to market and consumers to gain. While that gives me some temporary job security, there are never any guarantees. While centuries-old brands may continue on through my lifetime, some will go bankrupt. Some will lose their quality.  Some will change what they stand for. But there is only One who does not waver. Who will not change. Who will always be available to fulfill our true needs. Who will love us back.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” – Hebrews 13:8

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8

Lord, thank You for being the One that we can depend on to fulfill and sustain us. Thank You that You are the Alpha and Omega, unwavering in Your care for me. I’m sorry when my eyes shift away from You and to other things that will never fill my God-sized holes. Please help me to keep my eyes fixed on You and to be loyal to Your teachings and direction for my life. In Jesus’ Holy Name I pray, Amen.