The Psychology of Cults & Marketing

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CULTS & MARKETING "disclaimer: oveny attached gj is allegedly not in a cult an estimated approx. 5 TO 7 MILLION AMERICANS have been involved in cults, or cult-like groups 180,000 new cult recruits every year. The total number of these groups ranges from 3,000 TO 5,000 1 IN 4 over 66 MILLION MAC USERS iPad buyers is a new Apple customer 1 IN 10 çell phones users has an iPhone over 200 MILLION ITUNES ACCOUNTS THE CULT OF MAC THE ANTHROPOLOGY THE ANTHROPOLOGY O-OF A MARKETING CULT O OF A CULT MARKETING COMMUNICATION BOUNDARIES VS. Cult brands communicate with the market in unusually scarce, deliberate and very targeted marketing PR and promotions. This adds mystique to the brand and rewards those on the inside. Cults, unlike most modern social phenomena, have a closed boundary. You're either in or out. This creates passionate solidarity. Tactics: firewall- cults build a protective barrier big brother-big enemy in the outside world int/ex comm- outsiders fed compeletely diff. story spotlight- staging dramatic events & experiences Tatics & Examples from Linux marketing: members-only- small Linux community: only hackers david & goliath- Linux vs Microsoft internal/external PR- Linux code was developed by people whose every thought was officially contracted and owned. leaks & stunts. "coronation" on Wall Street could get Linux recognition COMMITED CUSTOMER INITIATION It's actually not that easy getting into a cult. You can't "walk in". There is a definite process to ACQUISITION Cult brands are an exclusive club. They deliberately sacrifice a larger market for a smaller inner circle that is taken through an elaborate "initiation" process to create committed solidarity. 322 joining. This converts people's whole outlook. Tactics: Tactics & Examples from Harley Davidson marketing: inner circle targeting- the initial HOGS were mostly Hells Angels rallying cry- a simple, powerful message: "Help Harley Survive" charismatic events- Harley rides and rallies were the social glue. driving loyalty- uses Rider's Edge, a three day driver's training course, to lure new riders Photo from http://www.ezakwantu.com/ selection- focus on "who is ready" baiting the hook- attracts for repeat visits love bombing- human need for a sense of belonging matriculation- brainwashing stage to break down person & build up as a believer PASSIONATE COMMUNITY VS. CUSTOMS A cult brand's loyal usership is bound to the brand's mission. It is a community with its own rituals, vocabulary -- and often - hierarchy. They become not mere users, but crucial ambassadors for the brand -. in effect unpaid employees. Cults are a parallel social universe with their own rituals, relationship structures and experiences. This binds individuals to the cause. Tactics: pyramid- act as an emotional pyramid scheme duties-busy, too busy to stop and think psych twists- commitments of time & money momentum- acts of insanity and tests of loyalty Tactics & examples from Ebay marketing: loyalty tiers- the more you trade, the higher you get in the hierarchy participation marketing-avg. user spends longer on site than any other ecommerce site turning the tables- ebay turns e-commerce into a gambling game brand news- introduced: ratings system, insurance of up to $200 against fraud. a seller identity verification service BRAND RELIGION VS. IDEOLOGY Each brand acts like it is "on a mission from God". With a strong, central ideology and leadership. This gives the brand much larger meaning. Cults program what members think and do. They have strong central ideology and leadership. This fosters align- ment and clarity. Tactics & examples from Apple marketing: founder & advocates-Steve Jobs., with the secretive Mạc team brand vocab-Apple invented the whole language of graphical interface computing brand mạnifesto-Many Apple people genuiņely believe they are making the world rituals & principles-embraced diversity and soft Tactics: leader/apostles- leaders' story is the law the word own way of speaking belief system-appealing B&W view the rules reinforce way of life Photo from Village of the Damned a better place. values, but never lost sight of results aggression WON'T YOU JOIN US? To lo at this and marketing,visit: on http://www.mindcontrolioi.com/pdfs/How Cults Seduce.pdf presented by: ChristianDegrees.net Sources: http://www.techcrunch.com http://www.nbcenews.co http://www.cultofmac.com http://www.cultclinic.org/qa2.html http://www.mindcontrolio1.com/pdfs/How Cults Seduce.pdi DEVELCPED te N NOWSOURCING