September 16, 2022
Anyone who spends 10 minutes with Spartan founder and CEO Joe De Sena quickly learn two things: 1. He’s obsessed with fitness, and 2. He thinks BIG!
De Sena combined these two superpowers to create Spartan Race in 2007. Over the past 15 years, Spartan has become the leading endurance sports brand on Earth, with more than Ten million racers across more than 45 countries.
I recently met with Joe to evaluate Spartan and possibly honor his brand at The Gathering, an annual business summit recognizing the most cult-like brands in North America. Spartan, along with other fitness brands like CrossFit, Ironman, Orange Theory, F45, and Peloton, have been on our radar given the fanaticism and extreme loyalty that so many of their “followers” display. During the evaluation phase, I vet dozens of brands to assess their proficiency with eight specific cult branding principles. Most brands that are nominated excel at principles like Remarkability, Relatability, Culture, and Purpose, but only the best of the best are also wildly proficient at what I affectionately refer to as the “darker arts of cult branding.” These principles include Rites & Rituals, Temple Building, Indoctrination, and Picking Fights.
Frankly, I was impressed by what Joe had to share.
“I’m not surprised at all that Joe is attempting something so ambitious,” says Richard Baker, the CEO and executive chairman of Hudson’s Bay Company. “I’ve known him for years, and he has this natural ability to create things people want to be a part of. This memorial won’t just immortalize the Spartan 300. It will immortalize all the people who have bought into what Joe’s company represents.”
“Creating in-real-life experiences is an impactful brand strategy. Spartan’s new Unbreakable Pass, and the ability to visit Sparta and experience the essence of where the brand was born, seems like an awesome way to amplify their customer experience.”
I’ve seen many brands tap into the cult brand playbook of creating spaces for fans to gather and revel in their togetherness. From Disney’s Disneyland to Apple’s flagship Manhattan store to Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame in Cooperstown to Madden’s roaming esports tournaments, cult brand leaders have always sought ways to manifest their brand’s ethos in 3D. But erecting a giant monument to honor people who died over 2,000 years ago, and allowing customers to immortalize themselves in Greece for the rest of time, is indeed next-level.
Cult brands constantly find novel ways to make their fans feel like insiders and give diehard fans access to remarkable branded experiences. Spartan’s newest venture does that in spades. Of course, some will argue that De Sena has gone too far, but as someone who has studied and championed cult brands for years, I can’t wait to see how much farther he’ll go.
If your brand is looking to do something equally bold and inspiring to better engage its best customers, prospects and staff, get in touch with Cult.
We drive business performance by creating more deeply engaged customers, prospects and staff. We teach what we have learned from over a decade of researching the most cult-like brands on the planet, and we apply world-class research and analytics tools to improve our client's odds of success. 
