Building a Cult Brand is something that must be done deliberately, and by catering to your niche. Every cult brand has emerged from the pack by thinking differently, putting customers at the forefront of their business plan and developing a product that no one necessarily “needs”, but it easy to want because it appeals to a primeval function of our desire.
There are a few cases I’d like to discuss that show off the power of a Cult Brand, and how it got that way.
Apple Computers – Apple was there in the hayday of technology when everything was coming to a head. IBM was the big name in hardware. Microsoft bought DOS and was starting to market it. Steve Jobs and Woz were tinkering in their garages. Apple built up a reputation as an innovator of easy to use products. The Apple IIc quickly filled schools everywhere because they were so simple, reliable and easy to work with. The Apple brand faded from the mainstream for many years as aMicrosoft continued to expand. Then Apple had a breakthrough with the iPod. Here was an old concept, music on the go, embracing controversial technology (mp3s), at a price point that made it a sub-luxury item (the first ipods going for $300-500) and it had sex appeal. It was sleek, stylish, easy to use and practical, in as practical a hand held music player can be. Apple pushed the concept of “iLife”, a collaboration of music, movie, internet and computing and began the iRevolution. That is the cinderella story of Cult Brands, and the best example of how the power of people’s perception can drive sales.
Harley Davidson – The wide open road and the thunderous roar of a V-Twin engine make Harley Davidson stand out as the ultimate motorcycle cult brand. Like a man who smokes Marlboro, a man was defined by his Harley. The Harley spoke to the freedom of the open road, the defiance against society and the need to belong, but not belong. Harley continued producing great bikes through the last several decades, each year building on the same idea that quality construction is worth the premium price, and the sense of belonging with your fellow Harley owning brothers-of-the-road is worth every penny. Customers, and wanna-be customers, of the brand defend it wholeheartedly, making this cult brand a staple in our lexicon.
Star Trek - How many trekkers do you know? or Trekkies? Or Treksters? Whatever they are calling themselves these days, this cult brand is actually more like a cult than anything else. Fusing the space fantasy world of Buck Rogers with real science, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry spoke to a generation of technology-spirited fantasy-driven fans who spend their money on Trek-toys, go to conventions, dress as their favorite characters and continue to innovate real technology after things once dreamed of in Star Trek. With the original series, the charisma of William Shatner and his well-known verbal delivery brought pioneering spirit to the series that carried over several decades into multiple movies, several spin off shows and an entire lifestyle built around Star Trek.
Knowing what it takes to make a cult brand, what is your company doing to get into the hearts and minds of your customers? How many of your audience chant your company or product’s name and defend it to those who look down on it? How many people mention your company’s name and fond memories flood to them about a product they could live without but choose not to? Getting to that point will solidify you in the halls of Cult Brand Status.
