If you haven't read
The Power of Cult Branding, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy immediately. Control freaks might cringe at the idea that consumers have so much say into the look, feel, even personality of the brand, but smart marketers know this level of consumer empowerment and interaction can be intensely powerful - both in strengthening an existing brand, and even in productively differentiating it from competitors.
Apple is a great example of a successful cult brand. How many companies would inspire fans to creat
a contest to design/illustrate movie posters featuring the company's CEO?
The results are very cool. Check out the two examples highlighted by
Steve Rubel, especially the
Lord of the Rings spoof. Even Bill Gates makes an appearance as Gollum.
Fantastically original. Scroll through the
myriad of submissions in the comments section.
