How to Build a Cult-Like Following on Social Media

By creating a brand voice that felt rebellious and relatable, Oatly built a devoted following before oat milk became mainstream. Cult followers will proudly reference the brands they love in conversation with friends and family, and they will have adopted it as part of their overall identity somehow – think Harley Davidson riders or Thermomix lovers. Not only will followers leave glowing reviews online, they’ll also encourage others to join the gang. From that point onwards, every pop culture reference, celebrity endorsement and product placement on movies and TV act to doubly reinforce the brand’s desirability and exclusivity. Cult brands like Peloton, Lululemon, Apple and Cartier are more than just the sum of their products.

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This crime involved a man who violently murdered four young girls and was found to be in possession of hentai, thus casting the entire anime style in a negative light. Anime’s first major breakthrough into American culture was the notable Astro Boy, originally titled Tetsuan Atom (Mighty Atom), a story of a heroic robot child created by a scientist who lost his real son. Anime and manga are terms that are often used interchangeably even though they address two distinctly different art forms. Manga was the foundation upon which anime was built, just as still drawings were the foundation for American animation.

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Limited-edition releases, seasonal collections, or restricted access to certain products tap into the psychology of scarcity, causing consumers to feel that if they don’t act quickly, they’ll miss out on something rare. The fear of missing out (FOMO) is particularly strong in today’s hyper-connected world, where consumers see others acquiring something they cannot get. To build a cult following, you must deeply understand your target audience. Conduct thorough market research to identify their demographics, interests, pain points, and motivations. Develop buyer personas to visualize your ideal customers and tailor your marketing efforts accordingly.

Creating Emotional Connections

Having a brand personality makes it easy to communicate with customers – rather than speaking as a business, cult brands approach customers from a friend-to-friend point of view. When brands are transparent about their mission, values, and even their struggles, they humanize themselves. Instead of being seen as a faceless corporation or influencer, the brand becomes relatable, and customers feel as though they are part of something more meaningful. Transparency invites followers into the brand’s story, making them feel like they have a stake in the journey.

This emotional connection can turn casual customers into ardent supporters. Whether it’s acknowledging a mistake, sharing the reasoning behind a decision, or discussing future challenges, being upfront with your audience helps build trust. When a brand is transparent, its followers feel that they are not just being marketed to, but are part of an honest, open relationship. Just like each individual experiences religion differently, brands may affect each person differently. However, the ability to impart a deep emotional effect — be it from the use of a product, looking at advertisements, or relating to the founder — that influences a person’s decision-making sets regular brands apart from cult brands. From the “Trekkies” of the 1960s to the “BeyHive” of today, consumers crave a sense of belonging.

Cult followings can be beneficial, but they require careful management to avoid burning out consumers or pushing them away when the brand fails to meet heightened expectations. The key is to build a culture around the brand—one where customers feel like they’re part of something bigger than just a product. Like Peloton, Lululemon connects its brand to the aspirational values of its customers.

A significant factor behind cult brand followings is how well a brand aligns with personal or societal values. Consumers today are more values-driven than ever, and when a brand embodies the same ideals—whether environmental responsibility, social justice, or creative movie quiz freedom—it becomes an extension of the consumer’s identity. These psychological principles are key to understanding the rise of brands that unintentionally create cult-like followings.

Supreme never explicitly built its brand around the idea of community, yet it fostered one through its culture of exclusivity. The limited runs of its products, paired with its association with skateboarding culture, created a cult following where owning a Supreme product meant inclusion in an exclusive club. People began to identify themselves as part of the “Supreme community,” even though the brand never directly engineered such belonging. Brands that embrace transparency can cultivate a passionate, loyal audience that supports them not just for the products they offer but for the values and authenticity they represent.

Second, American animation and Japanese anime began to drift in two separate directions when it came to content. Americans, who were wary of the effects of cartoon violence on children, began to censor more often in animated films. One of the groups that most affected the fate of anime was an overzealous group called Action for Children’s Television, or ACT. This censor not only included cartoon violence, but also material containing homoeroticism, gender ambiguity, or anything that suggested the main protagonist was not one hundred percent ‘good-guy material’ (Ladd, 2009).

From discussing her personal commitment to sustainable living to revealing the difficulties the company faced in sourcing ingredients, Alba’s transparency resonated deeply with her audience. The result was not just a successful business, but a cult following of customers who felt personally invested in the company’s values (Holton, 2020). Transparency, in the context of business and personal branding, refers to the openness and clarity a brand or individual provides about its operations, values, processes, and challenges. It involves sharing both successes and failures, being open about decision-making, and engaging in honest communication. With the rise of social media and the increasing demand for authenticity, transparency is no longer optional—it is expected.

Yet, many Americans are either hesitant to accept this switch in cinema pop culture or are oblivious to the pervasiveness of Japanese culture in what they watch. However, it is important to understand the implications of the cultural immersion of anime in order to understand the animation industry as it stands today. When you break down cult brands you see that, on a basic level, they are very similar to religions in the sense that they rely on a variety of dimensions that ultimately connect them to their audience on a deeper level. In an economy where consumer choice can seem more than overwhelming, achieving cult status may be one of a brand’s few chances at lasting success – be it toys, technology or motorcycles. When even the most mundane products offer an identity promise, brands must transcend the noise and find ways to meaningfully connect with an increasingly sceptical consumer base. Brands must remain adaptable, continuously offering new experiences, maintaining transparency, and above all, staying connected to their core values.

It’s hard enough to get people to like your brand, and even harder for people to develop an obsession. David Lynch’s Twin Peaks ran on ABC for two seasons from 1990 to 1991, initially garnering high ratings and critical acclaim. Ratings and reception declined following the reveal of Laura Palmer’s murderer, who was left intentionally unknown by Lynch. It was not until 2017 that Twin Peaks returned as a limited series on Showtime, ending one of the longest hiatuses in television history. Ever feel like when a great show drops on Netflix, everyone is talking about it? Good news spreads like wildfire and sometimes all it takes is doing something a little different.

Due to these differences, this research focused exclusively on the history of anime’s immersion in American culture. Apple Inc is among the tech stocks responsible for a significant portion of the US stock market’s 2023 gains. Starbucks, for example, knows their coffee drinkers can wait in long lines and rack up a sizable bill for a cup of coffee with a misspelled name on it. To show appreciation, Starbucks rewards its customers through a loyalty rewards app. You’ll know when the “club” or “cult” feel has started to grow amongst your customers as your churn rate goes down and repeat buys from customers go up.