‘Innumerable symbols subconsciously draw us to the brand they represent’

For years now I have come across various books, articles and lectures where religion has been touted as the most successful marketing campaign ever run.

To get billions of people to follow a tenet with a product that is (in most cases) never seen, is nothing short of a miracle. But my article today is not about the wonders of religion but rather a systematic analyses of why it has managed over and over again to get such a loyal base of believers.

This piece is agnostic of any particular religion however I have looked at various religions to bring alive a point I may be making. I have looked at seven best practices, which I believe make us so drawn to the religion of our choosing or birth. As mentioned above I will use examples to elucidate this theory. And finally I will look at brands that are successfully leveraging this principle.

Story

When I say story there are two ways in which I have interpreted it. The first is an origin story or why a particular religion came into being. And the second is the use of stories to spread the principles of a particular religion. Buddhism for example not only tells us about the enlightenment of Buddha but also innumerable stories through which His teachings are shared.

When I think of a brand that lives by this tenet, Lego is the first to come to mind. Lego’s story has been viewed close to a 30 million times on YouTube, not to mention, at all its stores and theme parks. If the story of how a struggling carpenter gave us one of our most loved brand was not enough, there have been enough stories along the way to keep us engaged. From the story of how Lego saved the day for a seven year old who lost his Lego Christmas gift, a mini figure. To the story behind every Lego box one may pick up. Many are even accompanied by a comic version of the story so the scene to be built can be contextualised. Sheer genius in my eyes.

Rituals

Rituals are the corner stones of religion. Be it Sunday Church or the abhyang snan at dawn on Diwali. These rituals keep us connected to our religion even as our hectic schedules bring in a world of distractions.

Now which brand wouldn’t love such rituals to get the whole hearted attention of its consumers. My all-time favourite brand ritual is Oreo’s - Twist, Lick, Dunk - so simple and yet so uniquely owned by Oreo. I still recall the look I got from my then four year old, for biting straight to his favourite cookie.

Vicks VapoRub and its application on the neck and chest is a ritual that has come down generations and as the brand puts it is relief you can feel when you are down with a cold.

Symbols

Just as rituals keep us connected to our religion, symbols give us a sense of belonging. It could’ve be a simple Cross or Om that we wear around around our necks or the kind of clothes or head gear that we wear. These are symbols of our faith.

Brands have got this tenet right. From the LV on your arm that says you’ve arrived to the swoosh on your shoe that says you have it in you. Innumerable symbols subconsciously draw us to the brand they represent. And it’s important to note that it is not status alone that these symbols stand for. It could be a belief, a way of life or just about anything that the brand and its users would like to be identified by.

Exclusivity

It could be entry to a place of worship, or permission to follow the rituals carried out inside. It could mean access to a scholarship or admission to an institution. Religion brings with it exclusivity that makes you feel special yet an important part of a group of like-minded individuals.

Harley has shown its faith in this principle. Being a HOG (Member of the Harley Owners Group) not only gives its consumers access to many members-only privileges but also marks out a unique identity for them. One which makes them stand apart from the rest.

Ideology

Religions are defined by their ideologies. It could be the Bhagvad Gita that urges you to act without worrying about the results. Or Christianity telling us to love our neighbour as ourselves. When we follow a religion it is the beliefs of that religion that we are actually signing up for.

Brands that have been able to define their purpose and effectively live by it give consumers an ideology to buy into. In the words of Simon Sinek, ‘People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.’ Excellent examples are Dove’s commitment to Real Beauty or The Body Shop motto to Enrich, Not Exploit.

Promise

Religions offer us a promise. A promise of salvation, a promise of rebirth. A promise that God is always looking out for us. These promises help us to get through life and show our faith in the religion.

Brands often make promises. When they consistently keep those promises consumers start trusting them. They forge a connection when these promises give consumers the hope of a better life. Apple recently made a promise to Generation Alpha of 100% carbon neutrality by 2030. Surely something that could create a generation of believers. Quite the investment in the future.

Propaganda

Propaganda is defined as biased information. In this case I choose to use it as information being passed on by believers to bring in more believers. While used more negatively in the context of religion, it still is something to learn from. There is no better spokesperson than a neutral believer. And if brands can get consumers to form a positive bias towards them, that is bound to go a long way. The Trust Economy and brands like Airbnb, Uber and even Amazon are making the most of consumers with positive experiences. Propaganda at its best. So sure, a number of brands get some of these practices right, but when all seven are at the heart of a marketing strategy, it’s no wonder it’s the most successful one ever...

(The author of this article is Ruta Patel, Senior Vice President of FCB Interface.)

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views of exchange4media.com.