The idea that a Texas grandma planned a fun family vacation for her grandkids is hardly newsworthy – but the idea that the theme for this trip was to visit every Buc-ee’s in the state made the pages of Southern Living.
One week, five grandchildren, 36 Buc-ee’s: it was certainly an event. Judy Martin took the kids -ages 3 to 8 – 1,600 miles in a mini-van she’d decorated with a special vinyl checklist decal documenting which Buc-ees they’d been to; there was an entire Facebook group of family and friends following the adventure online. Souvenir group photos were taken at each stop. And when the power went out at one Buc-ee’s, according to Martin, it just added to the adventure.
I think it is fair to say Martin is a Brand Lover – the passionate, devoted fan that has a stronger-than-average connection with the brand they care about. Did I mention that her vacation also included a stop at Buc-ee’s corporate headquarters?
Would Someone Plan An Epic Family Trip Around Your Brand?
Maybe you love Beaver Nuggets, maybe you don’t – but it’s hard to argue with the idea that Buc-ee’s is definitely a Cult Brand. Any organization can create events for its customers, but customers crafting events to celebrate a brand is another level entirely.
Do you have customers who would love to see your corporate headquarters? So much so that they consider it a highlight of their precious family vacation time?
We see tourists doing exactly that at the Googleplex and Apple Park; Harley-Davidson offers factory tours at three facilities, including a Steel Toe factory floor tool that must be booked in advance. Brand Lovers are drawn to the source. They’ve been to where the magic happens; now they want to see where it originates.
This is one of those odd-but-useful metrics brand builders should keep an eye on. Are your customers exerting special efforts to interact with your brand? How often does this happen? If you are getting visitors, what is that experience like for them?
If you take the time to read the Southern Living story about Judy Martin, you’ll see she describes the Buc-ee’s headquarters as being unassuming and like a big house – terms that have meaningful positive associations with southern Living’s readership, which beautifully overlaps Buc-ee’s target market.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, both about what it’s like having customers visit your offices and what facilities or headquarters you yourself would like to visit. Any point where there’s a desire to deepen the connection and better understand the people behind the brand is a demonstration of Cult Brand potential.
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With over 20 years of experience as The Cult Branding Company, we’ve honed our strategies and methods to help companies identify their brand’s DNA, gain deep consumer insights, and understand the marketplace ecosystem. We are an independent agency that creates strong and provocative relationships between good companies and their customers.