So what was I blogging about when I suffered my unfortunate browser crash on Saturday?
The aborted blog entry was about the power of cult brands and the emotional connection companies can create with their customers - if they are bold enough to manage by passion as opposed to manage by committee.
I admitted to being an enthusiastic member of the cult of Apple, which is saying something, given that I used to work in the "God pod" over in Round Rock. That conversion is the topic for a future blog entry.
That blog paragraph led to a realization a few weeks ago that there is a brand out there that seems to hold an even deeper emotional connection to its customers than Apple. Based on sites like these :: message board (North American Motoring): blog (MotoringFile) : Podcast (whiteroofradio.com) :: I have been overwhelmed by the passion that MINI owners have for their vehicles. These are $23,000* four-cylinder hatchbacks, for goodness' sake.
And just like Apple, there is no boundary to the criticism these enthusiasts direct against their company. But what bowled me over is the depth of the passion all of these customers have for their brands.
Love Apple or hate it, few people appear to be indifferent to the company and have a definite emotional reaction upon seeing the logo or hearing Jobs speak.
Same with MINI. For every MINI owner that owns two, even three MINI's simultaneously, there is an owner attacking the most minute detail of the all new - and yet to produced - 2007 model. [This is about as far as I got when my browser crashed.]
On a related but different note, I must admit that I have never really gotten into Podcasts. Most of them remind me of extremely long voice mail messages that ramble endlessly, and reward you for your patience by offering no real point at the end of it all. You know, that's XX minutes you'll never get back again - that kind of thing. But I had a change of heart a few weeks ago when I started subscribing to WhiteRoofRadio.com. I am not going to recommend their Podcasts unless you are a MINI enthusiast, but they are extremely well done: the content is fresh, unique (read: not already reported on tens of blogs), and the production is solid.
And how did I get involved with this rather obscure community in the first place? Well, I have finally decided to retire my first and only car, a Toyota which is now over thirteen years old. (I don't just blog about the environment occasionally, I actually try to do something to protect it.) I ordered my MINI Cooper S at the beginning of the year. "Stevie" is now awaiting transport in Southampton, United Kingdom, scheduled for departure on February 4.
*Just my guess as to the median price all US MINI owners pay, before taxes and other fees, when taking into account accessories and modifications above the base price of $17,450 (MINI Cooper) and $20,900 (MINI Cooper S).
Technorati Tags: MINI, Apple, brands, Podcasting
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