What Makes a Brand Successful?

A colleague of mine quoted Maya Angelou today in a marketing meeting and I thought it was worthwhile sharing with everyone.  

"...people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel"

Think about it. Think about the last time you got into a really bad argument with a loved one. Do you remember what was said or done? I don't. But I do remember how frustrated I was. And, when I think about the last time I laughed hysterically with Scott...I remember exactly where we were, and how I was feeling but for the life of me, I can't remember what he said that was so funny. 

This concept is very relevant in the field of marketing. Think about a brand that you are loyal to. The first one that come to mind in our house hold is the iPhone. My partner, Scott, has an iPhone. But, he doesn't treat it like a phone...he treats it like his best friend. He absolutely loves his iPhone and has spent hours introducing his iPhone to everyone he meets. What is it about the iPhone? Well, I can tell you without hesitation...that iPhone makes Scott feel happy...consistently. The iPhone brand is not successful because it has a superior logo or a better tagline then the rest. It's not even about the actual product (although the product, in this case, really rocks!). It truly is about how the iPhone makes Scott feel. 

It's about the experience. It's about what the brand promises and delivers consistently. And, to be memorable, a brand needs to connect with its customers on an emotional level. 

What do you think makes a brand successful?