By William E. Boyajian

Recently, I spoke with the spouse of an Institute employee at a picnic for staff and family. I’ve known him for years, and in the course of our conversation I mentioned that every time I see him, I remember how he referred to GIA years ago – as a kind of “cult.”

I was startled when he first said it, but as peculiar as it seemed at the time, I soon realized the basis of his statement was clearly meant as a compliment – one that endorsed our rigorous, and sometimes relentless, pursuit of quality in our people, our programs, our products and our services.

The more I have read since then about corporate culture, branding, positioning and the need for an organization to stand for something, the more I relish the “cult” reference he made years ago. A recent BusinessWeek (Aug. 2, 2004) article, “Cult Brands,” seems to punctuate the point. Passionate employees treat an organization like it’s their own. Loyal customers do likewise, almost to a fault.

That’s the secret to brand loyalty. Consumers begin to act and feel like owners or members of a community. They get in touch with you to let you know when things go right, and more so, when things go wrong. This is part of what makes a brand so strong.

People identify with “cult-like” brand products, services, name recognition and image. Cult-like brands are self-consciously different from others. They adhere to a set of clearly defined and rigorously held values; they fulfill a range of needs for their patrons.

“The product is the experience,” said Starbucks Chairman Howard D. Schultz in the article. People may like the excellent coffee, the “hip” flavored drinks, and the vast range of products, but what they really crave, more than anything else, is the ambiance and feeling that they “own” their local Starbucks outlet.

Can cult-like brands that enjoy decades of success lose their luster more quickly than they gained it? This has been the source of some debate. One argument holds that it takes years to develop a reputation and only days to lose it. Another maintains that brand equity takes years to develop and just as long to lose. We all know of icon names in the jewelry industry that have lost their luster over a period of years, but have been able to revive their positive image through good leadership.

I balked at the notion of GIA as a cult when I first heard it because of the negative connotations often associated with this term. A cult has a culture so strong that it is different – often totally different – from everything else. It is not by definition negative, just different, and one I like and can subscribe to. 

What about you? Does your store or company have cult-like brand recognition in your community? A brand makes a promise of consistency about what consumers have come to expect in it. Is your service reliable? Is your culture unique? Is your image one that others might want to emulate? These are the kinds of questions we should ask ourselves daily, for our brand is who we are, and what we are.

We like our name and reputation at GIA, and we do everything we can, every day, to maintain and build upon it. We stand for something important and meaningful to thousands of students, alumni, clients and supporters. This is what keeps us going, striving to be better today than we were yesterday, and even better tomorrow. I hope this is your objective, too, and that you will develop a cult-like brand in your place of work – if you haven’t already.