I had the great pleasure of attending a charity fundraiser recently and joining the table of a team of marketers from Whole Foods Market. What I expected to be a nice evening supporting a worthwhile cause soon turned out to be a lesson on brand that could never be taught. It’s fair to say that a complete experiential brand “baptism” took place that night for me – amidst the gathering of Dallas’ philanthropic set…in a private jet hanger…complete with chefs’ tasting stations, elaborate silent auction packages and a seven-piece band.

I may be biased but when it comes to brand, very few industries get it like retail does, and very few retailers get it right like Whole Foods Market does.

To know Whole Foods is to love Whole Foods. Or, at the very least, you will pretend to love it because you’d be considered a total dirtbag if you professed anything less. The brand is strong, the product solid and the positioning is consistent. Congratulations Whole Foods Market, the case study on brand is now complete! (You’ll notice, I corrected my earlier sin of referencing it simply as Whole Foods, all part of the baptismal lessons learned.)

What I learned that night, simply by sitting back and observing this table of professional marketers, is that brand and PASSION go hand in hand. The dialog, support, “war stories” and friendly competition among this group were REAL and INTENSE. These folks were “off the clock” — no C-suite execs around to suck up to, no company game to play. They weren’t at a loss for conversation either like so many in the industry who turn to work as the safe topic in this kind of setting. In fact, just the contrary, they actually were energized by the brandcentric focus taking place at Table 18 and soaked it up like sponges. No apologies were offered for forgetting to ask about XYZ’s new baby or ABC’s recent surgery. It was crystal clear that their passion extended WAY beyond that night…in that hanger…at that fundraiser.

It was not about the product they sold, the job they performed or the company they worked for—it was all of that… and more. It was about an intangible, living, breathing Whole Foods Market brand, and it was inspiring, refreshing, captivating and remarkable all at the same time. It was BRAND PASSION at play and, as talented of a group of marketers as they were, I don’t think they had any idea just what a valuable marketing lesson they were giving me.

And so again I’ll say congratulations Whole Foods Market for a case study on the EMOTION of brand in the retail space. You definitely made a believer out of me.