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Objective....................................................................................................................2 Introduction...................................................................................................................2 What is a Cult?............................................................................................................2 Negative cults.............................................................................................................2 Positive cults...............................................................................................................2 What is a Brand?.............................................................................................................3 Cult Brands...................................................................................................................4 An Environment for Cult Branding...................................................................................5 Abraham Maslow: The Father of Cult Branding......................................................................5 What Makes A Great Cult Brand?........................................................................................6 The Golden Rule of Social Groups....................................................................................6 The Golden Rule of Courage...........................................................................................8 The Golden Rule of Fun.................................................................................................8 The Golden Rule of Human Needs....................................................................................8 The Golden Rule of Contribution.....................................................................................9 The Golden Rule of Openness.........................................................................................9 The Golden Rule of Freedom........................................................................................10 Indian cult brands..........................................................................................................10 KINGFISHER...........................................................................................................10 Bajaj pulsar..............................................................................................................12 THE HINDU............................................................................................................13 Amul......................................................................................................................15 Khadi: The pride of India.............................................................................................16 Conclusion..................................................................................................................17 Bibliography................................................................................................................18 Bibliography
Objective
To study how normal brands differ from cult brands and environment of cult branding and some of our Indian cult brands
Introduction
In this paper, we have discussed about brands that have a very loyal customer base. These brands do not just treat their customers as customers but forge a very special relationship with them to win them over for a lifetime and make them very active evangelists for the brand. These brands do not just sell products. They sell an all engrossing lifestyle and offer solution for what a customer wants to achieve. These brands are called Cult Brands. We have also tried to identify certain brands in India that have a potential of becoming a cult brand and the steps that these brands have taken and should take in order to develop a very loyal customer base. We begin the study by examining what a cult is.
What is a Cult?
Cult refers to a cohesive social group and their devotional beliefs or practices, which the surrounding population considers to be outside of mainstream cultures. The surrounding population may be as small as a neighborhood, or as large as the community of nations. They gratify curiosity about, take action against, or ignore a group, depending on their activities, perception of people about them and other factors like reputed similarity to cults previously reported by media. Cults can be divided into two types based on their activities and perceptions that the outside population forms about them:
Negative cults
These are the cults that harm, hurt, manipulate, and often brainwash their members. The leader of a destructive cult doesn't really care about the well being of the members. Some of the examples of such cults may be Ku Klux Klan, Nazism etc.
Positive cults
These are the cults that help fill the emotional needs and wants of their followers in a positive way. They and their followers enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship, with both receiving a real sense of satisfaction, accomplishment, belonging and enlightenment from the relationship.
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Some of the examples of such cults may be Red Cross, PETA etc.Now that we have discussed what a cult actually means, let us also find out what the word brand stands for.
What is a Brand?
A brand is all the emotions and ideas associated with a product or service that create a distinct customer experience. It includes all things real or perceived, rational or emotional, physical or sensory, thought or felt, whether in form or function, planned or unplanned. Simply put, it means a brand is what it does. Therefore, a brand refers to all the instances when a product or a service interfaces with a customer and all the good and bad or worst still, neutral perceptions that exist in the consumers mind regarding it. Successful brands are credible, meaningful, unique, holistic, sustainable, clear, and consistent. They add value to the customer experience across all touch points, and are trusted because they consistently deliver their promise. Today brands have become such an important factor in peoples lives that brand affiliations seem to decide who you are. Brands, rather than just becoming a tool for differentiating one product from the other have become the extensions of a persons personality. Brands are being used by people to convey to the world what they stand for and what they want to achieve. Therefore, the scope for brands is becoming narrower every day and they need to be sharp enough to understand their target audiences lifestyle and habits and adapt to them flawlessly. Brands need to realize that the days of one size fits all are over and if they want to exist in the new world, they need to be much more focused and dig in deep to find out their target customers real needs and desires that are beyond the obvious reasons for their purchasing a particular brand. In such a changing atmosphere, what every brand strives for is customer loyalty. The reason is pretty obvious. It takes five times more efforts to make a new customer than to sell to an existing customer. Therefore in the rapidly changing world of ours, if a brand is able to develop loyal customers or as brand lovers, the job of the brand become five X as many times easier. Imagine selling to a customer base that you know very well and that very well knows what you stand for. But wait, the best is yet to come- they love what you are giving them! We hope you have got the message. Now, let us find out what cult branding is and how it can help in developing loyal customers that are enthusiastic about the brand.
Cult Brands
Cult has the dictionary meaning as admiration, craze, creed, devotion, faith and idolization. The ideal objective of all brand managers will be to make their brands to attain cult status. The cult brands are not necessarily the biggest and most well known brands, but cult brands should have the most fanatical and most loyal customers followings. Cult brand will consistently connect with their customers at the very highest levels of Maslows Hierarchy of Needs and form deep and lasting emotional brands with their followers. . Cult Brands understand that their brands belong to the customers, only the customers voice counts. A successful Cult Brand embraces its customers by anticipating their basic human and spiritual needs. As a consequence, Cult Brands achieve a level of customer loyalty unprecedented in traditional business. Cult Brands therefore focus and embrace their existing customers and deliver such an exhilarating experience to them that they become evangelists of the brand. However, doing this is not easy, as on every touch point where the brand interacts with the customer, the distinct experience has to be preserved and delivered. Now, we will try to differentiate among different businesses that are there in the market from the customers point of view and put those with similar characteristics into same segments so as to get a broader idea of what kind of brands exist in the market.
3. OK brands
These are the companies that are not specific in their message to the target audience and therefore confuse them. They advertise themselves but due to inability to focus on what the target customer expects, the brand dilution occurs. For e.g. Vimal, Liberty etc.
4. Good brands
These are the brands that we all love. They are a part of our culture and enjoy great brand recognition. They are the top of the mind brands and constantly monitor their target customers expectations and perceptions and monitor their image. They are generally the market leaders in their categories. Some of the e.g. of these brands are McDonalds, Pepsi, Microsoft, Britannia etc.
with their customers at the very highest level of Maslow's Hierarchy. They don't just offer great products and services, but they needs for social interaction, esteem, and self-actualization. They make customers believe that your brand has no equal.
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each other and form social groups. We need social groups to enjoy ourselves, share our fortunes and misfortunes, showoff and what not. But in todays changing circumstances, the traditional social groups like family and neighborhood are not that strong. We are witnessing a continuous increase in divorce cases and home violence. People do not even know the names of their neighbors in many metropolitans. But the need for social interaction and social groups is still there. In fact, in such circumstances people look for other sources of social groups and communities. The task for managers is to create involving and creative brand communities for their target customers. The communities can be real or virtual. The idea is to make the consumers feel that they are a part of a team or a special mission. Some of the points to be kept in mind while forming communities should be: It should have a shared consciousness that connects members to the brand and one another. For e.g. Mac users value aesthetics and creative lifestyle that differentiates them from others. It may be a good idea to uphold rituals and traditions that involve public greetings to recognize and acknowledge fellow brand lovers It should preserve a sense of moral responsibility among the members. For e.g. Mac User Groups is a rewarding way for you to share your expertise. Someone may have helped you learn about technology; now you can repay the favor while meeting new people and making new contacts. We should also remember that brand communities exist in the minds of the customers and therefore a sense of belonging can transcend both physical as well as virtual spaces. This is important for global brands as it shows that if Internet is used effectively as a medium, an engrossing brand community can be created for the target audience across the globe. To sum up we can say that brand communities are both social and psychological. The communities may be created by the brand or by the users but in any case, the brand should promote them. Some of the steps that brands need to take before forming brand communities are: Determine how your customers are emotionally connected to your brand. For e.g. High design understand that their customers handbags are an extension of self, keeping lifes necessities within reach. Determine what your brand symbolizes in the minds of your best customers. For e.g. the Harley icon showcases a flying eaglea dynamic symbol of power, choice, and freedom. Support the community so that it reinforces the psychological attraction customers have towards your brand. Whenever possible, create a space where your customers can meet and interact with one anothereither in person or online.
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Sponsor social events that reflect your brands mission. For e.g. Pulsar Stunt mania. Set up conditions for a fun, playful environment where friendships can be made. The stronger the bond members have to one another, the stronger the bond members will have with your brand. Dont control the community. Instead, participate as a co-creator.
Cult Brands focus on serving the wants and needs of the customers they have. They dont get sucked into the trap of building products and services to attract new customersthey serve the congregation of customers their brands already have. Respect your choir. Value their opinions. Reward them. Listen to them. Never ignore an enthusiastic follower of your brand. Remember that core followers all want to believe, but first they need to see miracles in the form of unexpected gifts and surprises. Do extraordinary things for your choir, and theyll become incredible brand evangelists.
There is an aura of friendliness in such brands. Cult Brands prove to their customers that they are indeed open and inclusive by helping to fulfill the deep human needs that we all share, including belongingness and self- esteem. Cult brands become giant support groups for likeminded individuals.
KINGFISHER
Kingfisher beer is an Indian Beer brewed by United Breweries Group. With a market share of 29%, it is India's largest selling beer and is currently available in 52 countries outside India.
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Rule 1: Consumers want to be part of a group thats different Kingfisher Beer has
portrayed itself as a young, vibrant and stylish brand over the years. Its consumers believe that the brand provides them with the same feeling and make them different from users of other brands of beer.
Rule 7: Cult Brands promote personal freedom and draw power from their enemies
Kingfisher promotes personal freedom as a part of the lifestyle it associates itself to. It talks to people who are young and vibrant and who want to enjoy their freedom. However, Kingfisher has failed to draw power from its enemies as they have failed to recognize what stands against their culture. Defining an enemy will give the brand more edge in the market place.
Bajaj pulsar
The Bajaj Pulsar is a package for young brigade and is a powerhouse with sensational top speed. The bike performs well at all speeds and cornering is something commendable. The bike is using Digital Twin Technology Ignition (DTSi), Ignition with Digital CDI, Twin Spark Plugs and a third-generation Throttle Responsive Ignition Control System.
relish their new lifestyle by owning the Pulsar. Pulsar stands for speed, thrill and enjoyment in the minds of an Indian consumer. Pulsar is not just pulsar, it is a way of speeding up and being ahead of the competition for Indian consumers.
Rule 7: Cult Brands promote personal freedom and draw power from their enemies
Pulsar is a brand that stands for freedom. It not only gives its customers an ability to move from one place to other but also provides them a way of escaping the troubles of life and attaining freedom by carefree biking.
THE HINDU
The Hindu is a leading English-language Indian daily newspaper. With a circulation of 1.27 million, The Hindu is the second-largest English daily in India after Times of India, and slightly ahead of the Economic Times. It has its largest base of circulation in South India, especially Tamil Nadu. Headquartered at Chennai (formerly called Madras), The Hindu was published weekly when it was launched in 1878, and started publishing daily in 1889.
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Rule 7: Cult Brands promote personal freedom and draw power from their enemies
The Hindu is considered a daring newspaper that is willing to talk tough. This ability gives their readers a power to exert influence and at least talk about events that affect their life thereby promoting personal freedom.
Amul
Amul is the acronym of Anand Milk Union Limited which means "priceless" in Sanskrit. It was formed in 1946, is a dairy cooperative in India. It is a brand name managed by an apex cooperative organization, Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF), which today is jointly owned by some 2.8 million milk producers in Gujarat, India. Amul is the largest food brand in India and world's Largest Pouch Milk Brand with an annual turnover of US $1050 million Amul is a great brand. It has not only been a great dairy products brand but it has also been a source of income and livelihood to many people in the state of Gujrat in India... this is something which other brands fail to do. They build their own brands with all strategies and plans but fail to do much for the community. One of the many reasons why Amul is a great brand. Amul has been around for many decades, symbolised by its cute mascot - the "utterly butterly" Amul girl with her witty comments on current affairs across the globe.
GCMMF (AMUL) has the largest distribution network for any FMCG company. It has nearly 50 sales offices spread all over the country, more than 3,000 wholesale dealers and more than 5,00,000 retailers. AMUL is also the largest exporter of dairy products in the country. AMUL is available today in over 40 countries of the world. AMUL is exporting a wide variety of products which
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include Whole and Skimmed Milk Powder, Cottage Cheese (Paneer), UHT Milk, Clarified Butter (Ghee) and Indigenous Sweets. The major markets are USA, West Indies, and countries in Africa, the Gulf Region, and SAARC neighbors, Singapore, The Philippines, Thailand, Japan and China. In September 2007, Amul emerged as Indian brand according to a survey by Synovate to find out Asia's top 1000 Brands. The establishment of Amul is also known as White Revolution. The White Revolution of India inspired the notable Indian film-maker Shyam Benegal to base his film Manthan (1976) on it. The film starred Smita Patil, Girish Karnad, Naseeruddin Shah and Amrish Puri. The film itself was financed by over five lakh rural farmers in Gujarat who contributed Rs 2 each to the films budget. Upon its release, these same farmers went in truckloads to watch 'their' film, making it a commercial success. The film was chosen for the 1977 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. The Amul success story is taken up as a case study in marketing in many premier management institutes across the world. The White Revolution ushered an era of plenty from a measly amount of milk production and distribution. Aside from the great measurable success that this project was, it also demonstrated the power of "collective might". A small set of poor farmers of Kheda district in Gujarat had the vision and foresight to act in a way that was good for the society and not for the self alone.
The Khadi fabric sets an example of exclusivity, class, uniqueness and luxury of India, produced by a 'Charkha', going against the tide that count of high production technology and simpler, easier and faster ways of production. These are hand (spun, woven and knitted) fabrics. They are generally produced in rural areas by rural ladies. The main specialty is the manner in
which it is woven. The interweaving of threads provides easy passage for flow of air. It has a cool and porous texture and can be easily carried when out in scorching heat. IN 1921-22 Mahatma Gandhi and his followers were on a mission for peace and patriotism. Their approach was simple, as was their choice of attire. They embraced the rough textures of the spun cotton material known as khadi.Khadi is the symbol of integrity as envisaged by Mahatma Gandhi 'The Father of the Nation', it still do carries an excellent export value. It is anyway the most expensive and beautiful textile fabric of India. Cotton khadi fabric is handwoven which have a smooth finish. Khadi fabrics are soft, durable and comfy and extensively used to manufacture variety of garments. Khadi fabrics are the royal fabric which is highly in demand as per today's fashion, and woolen khadi fabrics made of pure khadi material. This Indian fabric is used in making various types of clothing which are demanded seasonally. They are used in production of Blankets, Shawls, Jackets, Tweed, Coat, Gown, Firan, Loies / Throwover. Khadi bed sheets reflect the artwork of fine craftsmanship and a superb range of hand woven khadi shawls are valued in different parts of the country for its durability and simple designs. These are available in various sizes colors and finish that suits the different requirements. In the words of Gandhi, khadi is a fabric for human values and ethics. It delivers the people from the bond of the rich and creates a spiritual bond between the classes and the masses. The creation of khadi follows a certain rhythm for which even an old woman who cannot see can sit and spin out the thread with utmost skill. A weaver can use that thread to churn out 8-12 yards of material. Khadi's acceptance among the new generation is increasing. It is used not only for clothing materials but also as part of home furnishing in the form of curtains, bed sheets etc. Khadi is an old tradition and it only goes to show that old is indeed gold.
Conclusion
At the end we would like to say that Cult brands are brands that become a religion for the individual. We saw all the seven parameters to test if the brand is a cult brand. We discussed foreign brands that are cult brands and why are they so. There are no cult brands in India right now though there are brands which have the potential to become one. Weve taken examples of Bajaj Pulsar, The Hindu, Fast track and Kingfisher beer. We tested them on all parameters and saw how they are trying to get closer to their customers and have the potential to become cult brands. The parameters in which these brands are failing can be achieved and these brands can emerge as cult brands in future. These parameters are more easily said than executed because it requires every individual to feel the same way about the brand and every customer should feel that the brand they are using is the correct representative of their personality and it fulfils all the needs discussed above. So to make a brand a cult brand, make it a customers brand.
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Bibliography