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This form of brand admiration taken to the max has emerged over the past decade. The first time I encountered it was in a pub in Sydney where I met a man with a Gucci barcode tattooed on his neck. I described the meeting in BRAND sense my latest book. We got talking, and introduced ourselves. When I asked what made him get the tattoo, he told me, "I simply love the brand."
This left me pondering... What makes people go that far? What are the ingredients that make up such an extreme brand obsession? And ultimately, what can the world of advertising learn from this when setting out to build a brand?
The best answer to these tough questions seemed could be found in the controversial topic of religion. I embarked on a fascinating journey in an attempt to discover what is it about religion that creates such staunch devotees. I also wanted to know what are the ingredients that create steadfast and strong religious faith.
The exploration resulted in a list of 10 powerful criteria. As I was writing BRAND sense, I wanted to call this list the Ten Commandments, but my publisher felt that this was pushing it a little too far. What's interesting about this list however is that the parallels between it and the world of branding are surprisingly strong.
Don't get me wrong. I do not wish to imply that religion has learnt anything from branding, but branding has definitely been inspired by the world of religion. These were the 10 components that I found:
1. A sense of belonging
Think Weight Watchers, and you'll know what I'm talking about. This amazing community of more than two million consumers is run almost exclusively on peer advice and support. Without a peer community Weight Watchers would not exist. Needless to say that sense of belonging is always a strong component of any religion.
2. A clear vision
Steve Jobs's powerful vision for the Apple Company dates back to the mid-1980s. He said, "Man is the creator of change in this world. As such he should be above systems and structures, and not subordinate to them." This vision was referring to computers, but 20 years later and a few billion iPods later; it still applies, and will probably still be relevant in 20 years' time.
3. Power from the enemy
If we play a game of association and I say Coke, more than likely you'll say Pepsi. The rivalries gone on for so long, that it's legendary. A former executive at Coke once stated that going to work was like going to war. In fact the chances are that Coke would not be what it is today if there was no Pepsi. The rivalry has forced both brands to grow and perpetually challenge one another for market leadership.
4. Authenticity
Authenticity is hard to define. Is Las Vegas or canned laughter authentic? Without thinking you may initially answer no, but a reconsidered answer might just be yes. Are the Olympics authentic? This answer to this is unambiguously yes, because it contains the four defining components of authenticity. It's real, it's relevant, and it has rituals and is part of a story. More and more brands are required to be authentic - just like religion.
