Cult Worthy

This week for #CultFridays, I decided to focus only on cult brands in tech for something a little different!???? I recently shared an article discussing Cult Communications in the tech startup space – and similar to the cult followings that we see across music and other fields, tech companies are continuing to evolve their community engagement experiences as well.?ICYMI: https://bit.ly/4dBOWT4 What's been cult worthy this week? ??? ??Cult Brands Create Anticipation: OpenAI rumors were fueled on X this week for a new secretive AI tool, ‘Project Strawberry’. Although the project timeline is unclear, it was a great lesson in how secrecy can play an impactful role for new tech products; to further build excitement and capture a buzz among niche communities. Learn More –? https://bit.ly/3ywgYQY? ??Initiate Unique Experiences to Elevate Brand Trust: Cult brand Anthropic announced an intriguing partnership with HackerOne – to start testing an expansion of its invite-only bug bounty program to receive findings of successful universal jailbreak attacks. Invited participants will be given access to Anthropic's yet-to-be-released AI safety system to test for ways to bypass its rules and output filters. Learn More –https://bit.ly/3WD153b ??Introduce Exclusive Content to Existing Loyal Audiences: Reddit, Inc. announced that the brand will be moving to unlocking exclusive content and paid subreddits; or in other words “gated communities” on the platform. I’m always excited to see tech cult brands evolve how they build strategies of exclusivity to foster deeper connections without disrupting the free version of the product. Learn More – https://bit.ly/3Aj1IaF ??Evolving Brand Communications to Reaffirm Positioning: This week Canva unveiled a refreshed brand identity,? “built to not only fuel creativity but also to help teams drive productivity with global and local flair in workplaces across the world." Creativity looks different around the world. ??Learn More: https://bwnews.pr/3LWbVMO ??Staying True to Niche Audience Despite Expansion: I’m so happy to see streaming platform Crunchyroll reach 15 million paid monthly subscribers. With the world’s largest streaming library dedicated to anime, it’s been amazing to see their rise into pop culture, while staying true to their cult fanbase. Learn More – https://bit.ly/3SNpPob ??Finding Ways to Leverage Loyalty Programs to Enhance Growth: Etsy announced that it would be rolling out its first loyalty program, and will send invitations to a select number of Etsy buyers who will beta test. Etsy Insider members will receive free shipping on purchases and discounts on certain products, among other perks. Learn More – https://cbsn.ws/3M07y3m In your opinion, what tech company do you think has the most loyal cult following? ?? Until next week! #cultbrands #tech #publicrelations #community #cultworthybusiness

Why should startups aim for cult status??? Startups that have a cult following add more value for investors and offer an unmatched competitive edge. We're in a time where it feels like there's a new startup emerging every day in tech and even in the beauty space. Standing out is a priority and building lifelong fans is an intentional process. On the startup journey, here are a few strategic cult communications tips to consider and integrate into your PR strategy. What is your favorite startup with a cult following? ?? #cultcommunications #publicrelations #community #startup #venturecapital

Make sure you check out the latest #CULTureInsights from our founder Ari McDaniel (Ari Kill),M.A.! ???? What's your favorite cult brand in the media this week? #cultcommunications #PR #community

We’re back with another week of CULTure Insights!????? What’s been cult worthy for you this week? #cultcommunications #cultbrands #CultFridays

Why should startups aim for cult status??? Startups that have a cult following add more value for investors and offer an unmatched competitive edge. We're in a time where it feels like there's a new startup emerging every day in tech and even in the beauty space. Standing out is a priority and building lifelong fans is an intentional process. On the startup journey, here are a few strategic cult communications tips to consider and integrate into your PR strategy. What is your favorite startup with a cult following? ?? #cultcommunications #publicrelations #community #startup #venturecapital

It's the first #CultFriday of the month and happy to share more CULTure Insights! What cult brand do you think has the most devoted community? Leave a comment! ???? This week: ?? Cult Brand Limited Too Makes a Comeback: I love cult brand comebacks and they don’t always have to be so splashy and over the top. Limited Too has been on a hiatus for the last 15 years and it’s nice to see them leaning into the brand's nostalgia to connect with consumers today. Learn More – https://lnkd.in/e6QvbqzK ??Chipotle Mexican Grill Extends Celebrity Status to Superfans: Chipotle recently announced that they were accepting submissions for its coveted Celebrity Card, which was initially presented to notable figures, but the brand opened the offer via social media for superfans to participate. Learn More –? https://prn.to/45TChrM ?? Arby's and the Cult of Devotion for Potato Cakes: Arbys went culty for their recent announcement of their fan-favorite side, the Potato Cake; returning to menus nationwide for a limited time to include merchandise for fans. Learn More – https://bit.ly/3VWecfx ??♀? SoulCycle Inc. Celebrates Community: Recently for the first time, SoulCycle hosted their inaugural Wellness Weekend, an event that celebrated the cult-favorite indoor cycling brand’s longtime presence in the Hamptons. Learn More– https://bit.ly/3zENj89 ??Alex Tran shared incredible insights in his new whitepaper,”Cult Brand Behavior: Creative Rules for Culture Hacking”. This guide is a culmination of in-depth conversations with industry experts as well as lessons from his own experience as a creative strategist working with established and aspiring cult brands. Great read this week! Read more–https://bit.ly/4eUW7ab ??Joanna Williams shared great insights into the recent collab between Olivia Rodrigo and the release of her own tumbler line with Stanley 1913, and the?impact on her cult following. Read More – https://bit.ly/3XZ2WRY ??Monia Merabet shared lovely insight into niche beauty brands building community and some of Bubble Skincare’s strategies for building a cult following. Read more – https://bit.ly/4csrqYx ??Emily Kinnersley shared great insight into #CommunityToks and the need for brands to tap into unexpected communities. Thank you for sharing the visual from TikTok’s recent playbook that explains this more in-depth! https://bit.ly/4ctCULj Until next time! #cultbrand #cultcommunications #community #PR

We love cult brand experiences! ?????? #cultbrands #community #cultcommunications

Welcome to the culty side of LinkedIn?????– where we push the boundaries of community building, embrace cult brands, and bring more clarity to CULTure. The Kill Kollective is more than a network, we’re a movement that inspires a shift in thinking toward cult status and those on the path to creating superfans and niche communities. What's your favorite cult brand killing it on LinkedIn? #cultbrands #cultfollowing #PR #cultcommunications

#CultFridays are always our favorite! Check out this week's CULTure insights from Ari McDaniel (Ari Kill),M.A. – – with the latest from cult brands. ?? #cultbrands #cultcommunications #community

??Cult Communications: We're going to see a lot more PR professionals and teams playing a more intentional role in the community-building process with cross-functional partners from beginning to end – including more emphasis on community relations and psychology. Now more than ever, brands are cultivating private communities both IRL and online, while leveraging exclusive experiences – with a more strategic focus on super fans and niche communities. What's been cult worthy this week? ????♀?Cult Fenty is Expanding into new Markets: Rihanna announced the launch of Fenty Hair after the longstanding success and cult following of Fenty Beauty. As a cult brand disrupter in the beauty space, I’m excited to see how Fenty Hair transforms the haircare industry at large and how the audience will come together. https://bit.ly/3x7HNdq ?? Cult Brands Elevate Experiences: Canva recently had their Canva Creates Festival, which previously was always positioned as a live keynote experience for “Canvanauts” (employees of the brand) – but this year, they decided to open the live experience to the public with a full-day creative festival. https://bit.ly/4aTbkWd? ? ?? Cult Alexander Wang Turns 20 Soon: This week Alexander Wang had an intimate show in NY– and shares more of how they've been able to maintain their cult following and entice new fans. https://bit.ly/3KBlOi4 ?? Cult Brands Are Buying into Niche Festivals: "While smaller than, say, Coachella or Lollapalooza, genre-specific festivals have highly engaged — and inevitably diverse — audiences, making them ripe for salient brand activations." https://bit.ly/3VziUjh ??Such a unique perspective and great tips from Bomo Piri at Native Instruments for cult brand builders! - what is the sound of your brand? "Develop and collaborate on unique audio signatures that reflect your brand's identity and values. This can enhance brand recall and create a consistent auditory experience across all touch-points." https://bit.ly/3KADuKK ?? Jonathan Stringfield, PhD at Activision Blizzard Media shared how fandoms drive emotional and social connections, and how brands can leverage these communities for impactful marketing. https://bit.ly/3Rjt329? ??Great words from David Placek at Lexicon Branding in Investor's Business Daily:? "In all business — and particularly in the communications business — you have to give people the courage to explain a new idea and to speak out – real leadership is not just about encouraging risk-taking — but demanding it. People have to feel safe to take risks and to express ideas that aren't totally thought out.” https://bit.ly/3RmhBCL?- Bruce Horovitz ??Lauren Ludlow at Ludlow Social shared a great perspective on how Summer Fridays was able to develop such an inspiring cult following. https://bit.ly/3XdvK8X ??Sarah LeMoine shared great insights on creating a cult following as a content creator. https://bit.ly/4e6UkPb #cultcommunications #cultbrands #community