How Cult Brands Like Soulcycle And Airbnb Are Actually Kinda Cult-Like

Most of us don’t think of ourselves as susceptible to cults. But at this point, billions of us have been drawn in by some iteration of one. Nearly every major brand we interact with uses at least some tactics that are, by design, cultish. Steve Jobs wasn’t selling devices so much as an affinity—to him, to other Mac users, and to a more egalitarian vision of computing—in the same way that religions make people feel connected to one another and a shared system of values. Lululemon founder Chip Wilson infused his company with ideas about personal fulfillment that were drawn directly from Landmark, the controversial, cultlike self-help organization. Read more at Fast Company.