The Culting of Brands by Douglas Atkin A Social Media Knowledge Benchmark Richard Rabkin MKTG 6900A Fall 2009

Summary Companies should learn from cults Cult: "group exhibiting a great devotion or dedication to some person, idea, or thing.“ A cult brand: when a group or community is built around a brand. “ Cults” Mormon Church, Catholic Church, Moonies, Marines “ Cult Brands” Apple, Ebay, JetBlue, Mary Kay, Saturn, Harley-Davidson Why do people join cults? They feel different, thus search for a community of like minded people where they can belong

Companies should learn from cults

Cult: "group exhibiting a great devotion or dedication to some person, idea, or thing.“

A cult brand: when a group or community is built around a brand.

“ Cults”

Mormon Church, Catholic Church, Moonies, Marines

“ Cult Brands”

Apple, Ebay, JetBlue, Mary Kay, Saturn, Harley-Davidson

Why do people join cults?

They feel different, thus search for a community of like minded people where they can belong

Summary The same can be said for cult brands - Apple A person feels different (everyone has a PC) so he seeks out a community of like minded people, buys a Mac and joins the Apple community To start a cult brand… Be different enough but the same enough Mormon Church was only successful when it emphasized its similarity to Christianity; Kazaa was more successful than Napster because it was more open to “playing by the rules” Piggyback on a pre-existing social community i.e. the Body Shop with the “hippies” ; Ben & Jerry’s Never Lie i.e. the Body Shop wasn’t “all natural”

The same can be said for cult brands - Apple

A person feels different (everyone has a PC) so he seeks out a community of like minded people, buys a Mac and joins the Apple community

To start a cult brand…

Be different enough but the same enough

Mormon Church was only successful when it emphasized its similarity to Christianity; Kazaa was more successful than Napster because it was more open to “playing by the rules”

Piggyback on a pre-existing social community

i.e. the Body Shop with the “hippies” ; Ben & Jerry’s

Never Lie

i.e. the Body Shop wasn’t “all natural”

Summary To start a cult brand (con’t)… Leverage “Symbology” i.e. Apple store’s church like feel, Steve Jobs as the prophet with the apple store staff as the disciples dispensing the “gospel” “ Nurture” your brand, don’t “control” it Salomon was “humble” when it entered the snowboarding market People are looking for a connection “ As long as traditional institutions fail, and marketers remain sophisticated, then brands can become credible sources of community and meaning.”

To start a cult brand (con’t)…

Leverage “Symbology”

i.e. Apple store’s church like feel, Steve Jobs as the prophet with the apple store staff as the disciples dispensing the “gospel”

“ Nurture” your brand, don’t “control” it

Salomon was “humble” when it entered the snowboarding market

People are looking for a connection

“ As long as traditional institutions fail, and marketers remain sophisticated, then brands can become credible sources of community and meaning.”

General Review Strengths: Compelling read Cult is a powerful metaphor Good insight into the envied “cult brands” (i.e. Apple) People are indeed yearning for some sort of connection

Strengths:

Compelling read

Cult is a powerful metaphor

Good insight into the envied “cult brands” (i.e. Apple)

People are indeed yearning for some sort of connection

General Review Weaknesses: Not all brands can become cult brands (i.e. toothpaste? Salad dressing?) The cult brand “formula” is oversimplified – so many factors go into a successful brand Sometimes the cult metaphor goes too far i.e. "Demonise and persecute those on the outside!”

Weaknesses:

Not all brands can become cult brands (i.e. toothpaste? Salad dressing?)

The cult brand “formula” is oversimplified – so many factors go into a successful brand

Sometimes the cult metaphor goes too far i.e. "Demonise and persecute those on the outside!”

SMM Focused Takeaways It is an innate human desire to belong to a community that believes in something – sometimes a brand community can suffice Online social brand communities should be “nurtured” rather than “controlled” i.e. Backlash when BMW deleted comments from angry user on their web community service This can be challenging as you are not in control To be a cult brand you must have “values” i.e. Body Shop, Ben & Jerry’s, Snapple

It is an innate human desire to belong to a community that believes in something – sometimes a brand community can suffice

Online social brand communities should be “nurtured” rather than “controlled”

i.e. Backlash when BMW deleted comments from angry user on their web community service

This can be challenging as you are not in control

To be a cult brand you must have “values”

i.e. Body Shop, Ben & Jerry’s, Snapple

SMM Focused Takeaways Social media is a tool to mobilize these communities faster, easier, and better etc. Must feel authentic, can’t be controlled (BMW) and can’t be “creepy” Involve the consumers in the conversation Not all companies can use social media to create cult brands; but they can all use social media to make connections with consumers and improve their “social brand equity”

Social media is a tool to mobilize these communities faster, easier, and better etc.

Must feel authentic, can’t be controlled (BMW) and can’t be “creepy”

Involve the consumers in the conversation

Not all companies can use social media to create cult brands; but they can all use social media to make connections with consumers and improve their “social brand equity”