How Apple, Nike, and Tesla became cult brands

Don't just get them to buy, but "buy into" your offer

When you hear the word "cult," images of extremist followers and forbidden practices come to mind.

But for brands that have been able to build a loyal following, to the point where fans are so passionate that they promote it themselves and create demand from other people, it’s free marketing and sell-out product launches every time.

And to be a cult brand you don’t need millions of followers, you just need a small but passionate audience.

If you want your brand to achieve cult status, you need to build a devoted fan base that cares just as much about its success as its founders do. They can only thrive by giving people something emotional to connect with rather than just a product.

And that’s built on trust and faith, two things that can’t be created overnight. Leading their consumers to feel like they’re part of something special through the whole experience.

So how did brands like Apple, Nike, and Tesla build their cult?

They didn’t focus on promoting products, they promoted a better future that benefits their customers.

Apple doesn’t sell computers, they sell thinking different.

Tesla doesn’t sell electric cars, they sell a sustainable future.

Nike doesn’t sell shoes, they sell the athlete within you.

Making people feel important

If you’re able to fill the emptiness in people’s lives, then you have the foundations of building a cult.

And it’s important to set the tone from the start.

Brands built around community make sure their followers feel valued. Because if they feel welcomed and cared for, they’ll be more likely to stick around. They’ll question their current relationships and realize that everything they knew isn’t what they thought it was.

People just want to feel that they matter and that people care about them. And the truth is, most people probably feel neglected and have no purpose in life.

The top brands sell a purpose beyond profit.

They put their people at the center of attention and let them know how valuable they are to their mission, so they can reject the current society and adopt the new ideas they present to them.

If you make people feel important, they will happily repay you in loyalty, word of mouth, and of course, their hard earned money.

And the more valued you make them feel, the less likely they’ll want to go back to their old way of living.

Relate to deep rooted pain points

If you connect with people and show you’re experiencing what they’re going through, even if they never realized they had a problem, then they'll see themselves in your story.

It's about painting an emotional picture for potential customers so that they get as excited about this new idea as you do. People need to be able to believe in the idea that the product or service will actually make their own life better, as well as the greater good. 

But the trick is to portray yourself in a different way to not be in the same category as all the other competitors. Because if you do that, you’ll become another commodity and have to resort to lowering your prices to stay competitive.

You’re a premium brand, you don’t want to do that.

No one rushes to buy an improved version of a product they have already seen and had a poor user experience with. But a new and exciting opportunity that challenges the old ways and opens their mind to new possibilities?

Sold!

Show the current system, then show hope

Establish an enemy and show the tyranny that’s currently taking place.

A common method is the "us vs. them" narrative to show that you’re on their side. The enemy isn’t the competition, it’s what’s holding people back from what they truly deserve.

Nike vs inaction. Apple vs boring design. Tesla vs pollution. 

What you want to do is take any blame off of the people. It’s not their fault that they’re in the position they’re in. Show how they’ve been lied to, hoodwinked, bamboozled, led astray, and flat out deceived in the past and how they can take control again if they commit to taking action.

The main thing to get across is hope, because if they don’t have that, they’ll quickly give up to the current authority.

You want the have-nots to believe they can have what the elites have and that there’s nothing to lose.

Ideology to lead the people

Your brand should have a new ideology that is related to its objective. 

These beliefs give your brand a more distinct personality and are the foundation for believers to be attracted and stay faithful to. It should also explain why these principles are crucial for the company's success as well as consumers.

Finally, choose some keywords that reflect your brand's philosophy and describe what it means to be a member of its community.

“Just Do It” and “Think Different”

These words have motivated people more than you can imagine. From founders to consumers, it inspires them to take action, make sacrifices, and to accept risks in hopes of achieving the main goal.

This is what should be shown in your marketing, because selling a product is boring.

It’s what advertisers do when they don’t really understand their audience. They don’t understand people’s challenges, hopes, or what triggers them to take action subconsciously.

Storytelling is an important part of brand building, and it’s even more evident in the ones with loyal followers. Stories about courage, honesty, and bravery that people can learn from, relate to, and get a sense of belonging from will motivate them to take part.

A misconception of cults is that people give up their individual selves and that each person is the same looking up to a leader.

But it’s actually the opposite, people join to meet like-minded individuals that help them find their own uniqueness and gain insight into how they can contribute to the overall mission.

Where everyone is special, but each person represents another.