Cult BrandsEssay title: Cult BrandsCult BrandsMaslows postulated that we humans have an ascending order of needs and used a hierarchal pyramid to prioritize them. At the bottom levels of the pyramid are our physiological needs, which include basic things like food, shelter, and clothing that we all need to survive. At progressively higher levels in Maslows Hierarchy are the needs for safety and security, social interaction, and self-esteem. At the very top is self-actualization, a term Maslow coined to describe the ultimate human need to learn, grow, and reach ones full potential as a person.
We all desire on some level to self-actualize, both to be at peace with ourselves and to try to be the best we can be. As humans, we are drawn to people, places, groups, causes, companies, and, ultimately, brands that we believe can help us towards our ultimate goal of self-actualization and total fulfillment.
Higher level needs influence future human behavior much greater than lower level needs. It is the brands that can fulfill human needs on the higher levels of the hierarchy that become irreplaceable in the mind of the consumer.
Brands sometimes like to think of themselves as religions. These are called cult brands (Holt) and organize their community of clients as a congregation, with a holy land or place, churches, rituals, etc. It has to be said that few of these brands actually evoke religious fervor in their subscribers.
Thats what customer loyalty is really all about. Being irreplaceable.True customer loyalty is not only about getting a customer to consistently choose your brand over another. Its for that same customer to always believe (and then go tell the world) that your companys brand has no equal!
This is when the customers form a cult. You need not look much farther than a Harley-Davidson rally, a Star Trek convention, or a Jimmy Buffett concert to see the cult branding phenomenon at work: thousands of passionate, faithful fans spreading the good word and spending lots of money.
Not all brands have the dash of edginess, the devoted fan base, or the niche positioning to be cult brands. But those that do tend to share similar characteristics that make them successful.
Douglas Atkins’ definition of “cult brand”:“A brand for which a group of customers exhibit a great devotion or dedication. Its ideology is distinctive and it has a well-defined and committed community. It enjoys exclusive devotion (that is, not shared with another brand in the same category) and its members often become voluntary advocates.”
Cult branding is nothing but techniques used to generate devotion. Motivations, desires and attitudes of customers are key to the success of a cult brand.
Why Cult Branding worksCult brands arent just companies with products or services to sell. To many of their followers, they are a living, breathing surrogate family filled with like-minded individuals. They are a support group that just happens to sell products and services. This is the reason why these brands all have such high customer loyalty and devoted followers. Thats how cult branding works.
Society only helps to accelerate the drivers behind its success.Seven Golden Rules of Cult Branding – B.J. Bueno1. Consumers want to be part of a group thats different.2. Cult brand inventors show daring and determination.3. Cult brands sell lifestyles.4. Listen to the choir and create cult brand evangelists.5. Cult brands always create customer communities.6. Cult brands are inclusive.7. Cult brands promote personal freedom and draw powerfrom their enemies.The Difference Between The Two Types Of Cult – Destructive and Benign CultsRick Ross, a well-known thought-reform consultant. For over fifteen years, Ross has studied cultic groups and helped rescue family members trapped inside cult compounds.
I would think your story shows that Cult’s goal is to become a cult, or that they’re going to become the first media entity (or, perhaps, major media, as my parents now think of the word cult ). What you’ve found is just that, and you have to look at it to understand what you’re doing for cult.
This has always been my primary goal, and as time goes on people come to trust you more and more.
We got a huge number of supporters around the world, and that’s where our brand really comes from; that just goes to show that we really care about you.
If the internet is any indication of that, you know, we like watching to understand people, not to say, ‘You’re gonna get the job done. You’re gonna be a good team player. You’ll stay the course. You’re going to stick around’… but I’m definitely not saying we were all a whole bunch of kids in the 80’s who were just trying to take the kid back to school, and a bunch of other kids in the 90’s who didn’t get it. It’s just sort of how you learn and how you get along, but what I actually think you’re doing is going to push that, and do one of the very obvious things they do: they’re going to do something positive that is great.
Some people are just not comfortable talking about our values, and that’s what the brand and the brand’s goal is in. I think it’s good and noble to build relationships like that, and to build that trust. But then my question to you is, what was your focus on… where do you want to be and what do you believe are your strengths and weaknesses?
What does your target market are, anyway?
Are you an “American of the Millennium”?
What kind of fan base are you building around yourself?
Do you have a love for film in your life?
What are your best movies of the last 10 years?
What are three of your greatest contributions to this company?
Do you feel you are as a leader when it comes to being the leader?
What’s your top selling point of 2017, and most important moment to date?
How has Cult changed your life as a person?
I would think your story shows that Cult’s goal is to become a cult, or that they’re going to become the first media entity (or, perhaps, major media, as my parents now think of the word cult ). What you’ve found is just that, and you have to look at it to understand what you’re doing for cult.
This has always been my primary goal, and as time goes on people come to trust you more and more.
We got a huge number of supporters around the world, and that’s where our brand really comes from; that just goes to show that we really care about you.
If the internet is any indication of that, you know, we like watching to understand people, not to say, ‘You’re gonna get the job done. You’re gonna be a good team player. You’ll stay the course. You’re going to stick around’… but I’m definitely not saying we were all a whole bunch of kids in the 80’s who were just trying to take the kid back to school, and a bunch of other kids in the 90’s who didn’t get it. It’s just sort of how you learn and how you get along, but what I actually think you’re doing is going to push that, and do one of the very obvious things they do: they’re going to do something positive that is great.
Some people are just not comfortable talking about our values, and that’s what the brand and the brand’s goal is in. I think it’s good and noble to build relationships like that, and to build that trust. But then my question to you is, what was your focus on… where do you want to be and what do you believe are your strengths and weaknesses?
What does your target market are, anyway?
Are you an “American of the Millennium”?
What kind of fan base are you building around yourself?
Do you have a love for film in your life?
What are your best movies of the last 10 years?
What are three of your greatest contributions to this company?
Do you feel you are as a leader when it comes to being the leader?
What’s your top selling point of 2017, and most important moment to date?
How has Cult changed your life as a person?Ross describes destructive cults as “groups with an absolute authoritarian figure at the top of a pyramid scheme of authority where there is virtually no accountability for that leader.” Destructive cults hurt, harm, manipulate, and often brainwash their members. The leader of a destructive cult really doesnt care about the well-being of the members. In fact, such leaders openly exploit and abuse their members, usually for their own personal benefit.
Benign
Cult Brands And Ascending Order Of Needs. (October 8, 2021). Retrieved from https://www.freeessays.education/cult-brands-and-ascending-order-of-needs-essay/