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Eight vodkas made it into the top 100 brands; only two automobiles, two coffee brands, and one beer shared that status. Also among the top brands were more than 20 cosmetics and moisturizers, about 20 telecom and tech products of various ilk, and about a dozen retailers (stores, catalogs, and online).

"A Brand Keys Note," the email that announced the results, said," Well, we've long known that loyalty is absolutely driven by emotion. But based on this year's Brand Keys Loyalty Leaders List it's absolutely clear that when it comes to loyalty (and brand profitability), consumers are looking to emotionally connect more than ever before."

I have to disagree, in part. Yes, there's obviously a great deal of emotional loyalty on this list. I'm mean, hey, Bounty paper towels is ranked 95. How many paper towel brands can say they've capture consumers' hearts enough to even come to mind as a preferred brand?

But loyalty is just as likely driven by convenience or price than by emotion. I'll always go to the deli around the corner for a soda because it's the closest deli to my house. But I'll always choose a Coke over a Pepsi, because, well, Coke Adds Life. I can have Coke and a Smile. It's emotional.

For this reason I found interesting the mix of top brands:

1. Apple's iPhone
2. Samsung wireless handset (which one was not specified)
3. Wal-Mart
4. Grey Goose vodka
5. Apple (for its computers)
6. Hyundai
7. Amazon.com
8. J. Crew (its catalog)
9. BlackBerry
10. Avis

There are definitely many brands on this list that capture emotional loyalty. With all the ups and downs of the iPhone, it's still tops the list. BlackBerry is among the laggards when it comes to offering a touchscreen handheld, yet BlackBerry users (me among them) hold steadfast to their love of the device.

Then there's Wal-Mart. Of all those who shop at Wal-Mart, my guess is that a handful of folks feel emotionally loyal; perhaps they feel that they're smart shoppers who know where to find the best deal and Wal-Mart supports that with its branding. The vast majority are there for price. If Target or K-mark or the local supermarket sells that toothpaste or cereal or dog food for less, those shoppers are going there instead.

The four major search engines also made the top 100, but really, are people emotionally loyal to Bing, or do they use it simply because it's woven into Internet Explorer as the default search engine? My guess is that, mostly, it's the latter.

Are vodka drinkers emotionally loyal to Grey Goose, or is it riding the wave of being not just smooth, but also being trendy. Remember back when Absolut (now ranked 140) absolutely ruled the category?

One unexpected ranking: Dunkin Donuts' coffee was, not surprisingly, ranked 14 (it is, after all, the top selling coffee in the U.S.); but I was shocked to see Starbucks ranked 451, considering coffee drinkers' affinity for the brand. For example, I've been to countless events where attendees have eschewed the free coffee to stand in line--a long line--to buy Starbucks instead.

Ultimately, the benefit of a list like this is to get you thinking: Can customers live without your brand? Do they "need" it, whether they can explain why or not? Have you created an experience that, whether through convenience, service, product, or price, will make your brand number one in its category? If not, what do you need to do differently?