Got a product? Design the type of brand community that turns you into a marketing genius.
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Rapha® Cycling Club
This cycling club was launched by cycling apparel brand Rapha in 2015. The community they designed generates over £1.6 million in membership fees annually from approx. 23k members.
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Swarovski® Crystal Society
The collecting club was launched by crystal figurine and jewelry brand Swarovski in 1987. The community they designed generates over $27 million in membership fees annually from approx. 500k members.
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Harley Owners Group
The motorcycling club was launched by motorcycle manufacturing brand Harley-Davidson in 1987. The community designed generates over $59 million in membership fees annually from approx. 1m members.
Community Membership instead of a Loyalty Program.
Loyalty programs are transactional, making it easy for savvy customers to flee to a better program provided by your competitor. Instead of points and giveaways, product marketers can build loyalty by helping people find a sense of belonging through recreation. How?
We have researched dozens of iconic brands and developed case studies based on their branded recreation clubs, a type of brand community centered on a shared hobby. From this research, we identified a framework we call The Ferris Five.
The Ferris Five Framework:
Case Study: What if Gibson designed a club guitar players can join?
Framework → The Ferris Five
What outcome brands experience when designing a brand community using the The Ferris Five Framework? Recurring revenue from memberships, increased product sales, or both.