What makes someone truly loyal to a brand?

It’s easy to think loyalty comes down to price, points, or promotions. But the strongest brands create something much harder to replicate: connection, belonging, trust, and a reason for customers to keep choosing them.

In this episode of Stacked, Jennifer LaForge sits down with Idan Driman, Vice President of Marketing at Pet Valu, to explore how brands can build deeper relationships with customers in an increasingly complex marketplace.

Drawing on his experience across Pet Valu, Toys “R” Us, Holt Renfrew, and Sears Canada, Idan shares why customer value goes far beyond price, how emotional connection can become a powerful form of loyalty, and why authenticity is what separates a memorable campaign from a brand movement.

They discuss the rise of the Buy Canadian movement, the importance of community and belonging, what makes brand partnerships genuinely valuable, and why trust and brand resilience are built over time rather than through a single campaign.

Idan also challenges the traditional divide between brand marketing and performance marketing, explains why marketers need both science and creativity, and explores how brands should think about affiliate marketing within an increasingly complex customer journey.

Whether you’re a marketer, brand leader, loyalty professional, or business executive, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on what creates lasting customer loyalty - and why the brands people feel connected to are often the hardest ones to leave.