If your brand disappeared tomorrow, would anyone really miss it?
That’s the uncomfortable question most companies avoid. And yet, it’s the line that separates ordinary brands from Cult Brands.
In The Cult Branding Workbook, we make a critical distinction: most products succeed by being reliable, accessible, and convenient. They’re designed for people who don’t care that much. Drive a Camry, stay at a Marriott, wear the sneakers that happened to be on sale. No strong feelings, no loyalty. Customers shrug, consume, and move on.
Cult Brands play a very different game. They deliberately choose not to chase the center. Instead, they embrace the edges. MINI doesn’t sell to the driver who wants another “safe choice.” Liquid Death doesn’t market to people who just want “water in a bottle.” Supreme doesn’t cater to the shopper who’s happy with whatever hoodie is cheapest at the mall.
This isn’t about price. It’s about passion. It’s about creating what we call Brand Lovers, the select group of people who invest time, attention, and identity in what you make. These are the customers who tattoo your logo on their bodies, who line up for hours, who defend your brand when it stumbles. They care deeply. And that’s why they’re worth building for.
The trap many companies fall into is believing they can do both: serve the people who don’t care and create fanatical loyalty. But the two paths diverge:
- If you want ubiquity, invest in convenience, consistency, and price.
- If you want loyalty, invest in difference, meaning, and community.
As we teach in the Workbook’s Golden Rule of Courage, great brands have the guts to say: “This might not be for you.” That statement doesn’t alienate; it clarifies. It tells the masses to move on and invites your true believers closer.
Because in the end, brands built for people who don’t care will never be loved. And only love has the power to make your brand unforgettable.