Strong brands can trigger similar neurological reactions as religious devotion according to neuroscientists. An MRI scan showed an Apple fan's brain lit up in the same areas as images of religious deities. Martin Lindstorm suggests 10 ways brands create religious-like effects in fans, including creating a sense of belonging, developing a clear vision, designating enemies, sensory appeal through branding, storytelling, grandeur, evangelism, strong symbols, mystery, and rituals. Rituals and superstitions contribute to how people think about brands when making purchases.

1. FAITH, RELIGION,
AND BRANDS
How Brands Can Trigger “Religious”
Reaction In Fansʼ Brain"
"
@rickysetiawan"

2. Strong brands like Apple, Ferrari, or Harley Davidson can
trigger a reaction in the brain that's not unlike that of
religious devotees"
!
!

3. The neuroscientists ran a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
test on an Apple fanatic and discovered that images of the
technology company's gadgets lit up the same parts of the
brain as images of a deity do for religious people"

4. Martin Lindstorm suggested 10 ways to create such effect!

5. 1 CREATE SENSE OF BELONGING
CREATE SENSE OF BELONGING

6. 1
Religion creates a sense of belonging, people with same
religion are “brothers”"

7. 1
Likewise, strong brands create a sense of belonging among
other users of the brand – itʼs like being !
a member of a not-so-exclusive club"

8. 2 CREATE CLEAR, STRONG VISION
DEVELOP A SENSE OF BELONGING

9. 2
Most religion have a clear vision, whether itʼs to reach a
certain state of grace or achieve a spiritual goal, like heaven.!

10. 2
“Man is the creator of Change in this world. As such he should
be above the systems and structures, and not subordinate
to them” – Steve Jobs; vision for apple!

11. 2
“Solutions for small planet” – IBMʼ vision!

12. 3 CREATE SENSE OF BELONGING
DESIGNATE ENEMIES

13. 3
Religions strive to exert power over their enemies: Satan,
hell, or to other religions.!

14. 3
Us vs them mentality!

15. 3
Coke vs Pepsi!

16. 3
Apple vs Google!

17. 3
Having an identifiable enemy gives us the chance not only to
articulate and showcase our faith, but also to unite
ourselves with our fellow believers"

18. 3
"I'm going to destroy Android, because it's a stolen product.
I'm willing to go thermonuclear war on this.” – Steve Jobs!

19. 4 CREATE SENSE OF BELONGING
MAKE SENSORY APPEAL

20. 4
Special ambience in religious places: sound of adzan in
mosque, smell of a templeʼs incense, organ in the church!

21. 4
Strong brands evoke certain feelings and associations based
on how they look, feel, or smell"

22. 5 CREATE SENSE OF BELONGING
STORYTELLING

23. 5
Every religion is build upon a heft of history and stories:
Koran, New Testament, the Torah!

24. 5
Rituals (praying, kneeling, meditating, fasting, singing
rhymes) are rooted in these stories upon which the faith is
built!

25. 5
Likewise, strong brands tell stories to their customers!

26. 6 CREATE SENSE OF BELONGING
GRANDEOUR

27. 6
Most religions create a sense of grandeur, flagship places:
Mecca, Vatican, Jerussalem!

28. 6
Likewise, strong brands embrace grandeur, a place to
showcase their power"

29. 7 CREATE SENSE OF BELONGING
EVANGELISM

30. 7
Every religion makes their members, converts and new
acolytes feel honored to be member of its fold!

31. 7
At its launching, Gmail recruited “acolytes” by making the
service available by invitation only"

32. 7
When a friends invited you to join its ranks, you felt as though
youʼd been welcomed into a semi exclusive, lifelong
community"

33. 8 CREATE SENSE OF BELONGING
STRONG SYMBOL

34. 8
Every religion has a symbol: cross, crescent moon, angle,
dove. So do strong brands"

35. 9 CREATE SENSE OF BELONGING
MYSTERY

36. 9
The unknown can be as powerful as the known: life after
death, hell and paradise, shroud of turin, the holy chalice!

37. 9
Likewise, strong brands create mysteries: Coca-Cola
recipe. Itʼs said that only 2 persons know what exactly Coca-
Cola Recipe is!

38. 10 CREATE SENSE OF BELONGING
RITUALS

39. 10
Rituals, superstition – whether weʼre aware of it or not, all these
factors contribute to what we think about when we buy"

40. 10
Oreo: Twist, Lick, Dunk!

41. REFERENCES
Lindstorm,
Mar.n.
(2010).
Buy.Ology.
New
York:
Doubleday

42. THANK YOU