Bolivar J. Bueno
Master The Science of Cult Branding
“B.J. Bueno and his team at The Cult Branding Company respect and understand what so many strategists miss: before we can be experts on the product, sales, or the market, we must first be experts on human nature. They have a proven track record of building healthy, sustainable businesses for some of the best brands in the world―using the very process outlined in this book.”
―BERT JACOBS, chief executive optimist, The Life is good Company
“B.J. Bueno yet again deftly captures the essence of what is required to build and sustain a great brand. If you want to attract and retain highly profitable “brand lovers” rather than stalk new customers, then carefully read this book. B.J. wisely outlines why this is vital and, importantly, how to actually do it in today’s marketplace!
―DARRYL “DC” COBBIN, president, Brand Positioning Doctors, and former VP of Marketing, 20th Century Fox
“Customers First tells the truth. I got a shiver up my back reading this book: What if my competitors read this and followed B.J.’s advice? I don’t care what size business you run; you could and should do exactly as this book instructs. As I was reading, I kept thinking of ways to get my customers to tell me how to be better.”
―DAVID RATNER, owner Dave’s Soda and Pet City
About Bueno
Bolivar J. Bueno is the author of three Branding and Marketing books – The Power of Cult Branding, Why We Talk, and Customers First. He is also the founder of the Cult Branding Company, a branding company that works with the world’s top brands like Coca-cola company, Turner, and Nike, to name a few. In addition, Bueno has been included in The National Retail Federation as a top marketing mind and touted as one of branding’s Top Global Thinkers.
Also by Bolivar J. Bueno
Like religious cults that can attract thousands of devoted disciples, is it possible for company brands to build legions of loyal followers? In a marketer’s dream come true, can certain products—with the right positioning and branding—take on magnetic characteristics and galvanize die-hard customers who become walking, talking viral marketers? Can your company harness the power of cult branding without blowing a fortune on advertising?
According to authors Matthew W. Ragas and Bolivar J. Bueno, the answer is yes. You need not look much farther than a Harley-Davidson rally, a Star Trek convention, or a Jimmy Buffett concert to see the cult branding phenomenon at work: thousands of passionate, faithful fans spreading the good word and spending lots of money. Not all brands have the dash of edginess, the devoted fan base, or the niche positioning to be cult brands. But those that do tend to share similar characteristics that make them successful, the authors call the Seven Golden Rules of Cult Branding. Through meticulous research and scores of interviews, Ragas and Bueno have uncovered the remarkable and oft-untold stories behind nine very successful cult brands:
·Star Trek
·Harley-Davidson
·Oprah Winfrey
·World Wrestling Entertainment (formerly WWF)
·Apple
·Volkswagen Beetle
·Jimmy Buffett
·Vans Shoes
·Linux
These nine brands follow the Seven Golden Rules and have millions of fans and billions of dollars in revenue to show for it. You can learn firsthand what these special brands did to set themselves apart and how to apply the Seven Golden Rules to your marketing strategies.
Written for advertisers, marketers, sales executives, and business owners who want to thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace, The Power of Cult Branding is the ultimate guide to creating a loyal core of repeat customers and winning the positioning battle.
Praise for The Power of Cult Branding:
“Who wants a cult brand? After reading The Power of Cult Branding, you will want to create one as soon as possible. The logic, the strategies, and the tactics are spelled out for you in comprehensive detail.” —Al Ries, author of The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding and chairman, Ries & Ries Inc.
“Ragas and Bueno have not only demystified branding in their brilliant book but also revealed the heart of how to do it with aplomb. And, at the same time, it’s fun to read.” —Jay Conrad Levinson, author of the Guerrilla Marketing series
“Cult brands, while not easy to create, are among the most powerful. This book will show the way.” —Jack Trout, coauthor of Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind and president of Trout & Partners Ltd.
“The most insightful look at brand positioning since The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing.” —Roy H. Williams, coauthor of The Wizard of Ads series
“Understanding the creation and nourishment of great brands is critical to marketers. This book provides a powerful insight into that understanding.” — Jeffrey J. Fox, author of How to Become a Rainmaker and How to Become CEO
“An essential guide for marketing in the 21st century.” —Alan M. Meckler, chairman, and CEO, Jupitermedia Corporation
“Ragas and Bueno teach us the real principles of creating a symbiotic loyalty between our customers and our brand. We need to make our customers partners.” —Phil Leigh, vice president of digital media research, Raymond James & Associates.
“A masterfully instructive book on what it takes to build a powerful brand today. It should be required reading for students at the country’s top business schools. I recommend it wholeheartedly to entrepreneurs, executives, visionaries, and managers, who should not just read it, but also live by it!” —Edward P. “Ned” Grace III, managing director, Grace Venture Partners.
You’ll Also Love
Perhaps the most important skill in business is not strategic planning, or marketing savvy, or risk management, or investment analysis. Rather it is simply the ability to LISTEN. Why We Talk compellingly and elegantly illuminates why listening to your customers with your eyes, your heart and your instincts is more important than listening exclusively with your ears. Reading this book will forever change your approach to business AND to your most valued personal relationships. Your customers are talking – are you LISTENING? —Darryl Cobbin, Chief Marketing Officer & Vice President, Boost Mobile
This book shows you how to make the world’s most powerful communication tool work for you. —Jeffrey Fox, best-selling author of How to Become a Marketing Superstar
The first book that explores the science of word of mouth. Interesting to read and extremely helpful for any marketer. —Al Ries, author, The Origin of Brands
Keynotes:
As a branding expert, Bolivar J. Bueno has presented his ideas on branding, marketing and consumer psychology for organizations including CNN, Target, IBM, Kohl’s, and the LA Lakers. To hire Bueno for speaking engagements, please contact Salim@cultbranding.com or you can see more about our keynotes here.