If you know your target audience well enough—and you’re confident in pursuing it—you can build a culture around your product, creating brand loyalty even while the customer isn’t ready to buy. Assuming Scion understands its demographic, they’ve been a master of creating culture that appeals to teenagers and young adults by creating content and hosting events that people actually want to go to.
I had my first experience with this back when Scion first launched Rock Fest back in 2009. The lineup they put together shows that they had to have been invested in the metal music scene, because artists stretched across sub-genres and levels of popularity. Not only did the festival go off without a hitch, but they also kept from constantly and annoyingly marketing to everyone: bands didn’t have to say “Scion” all the time, there was no corporate MC, and I didn’t have to get on Scion’s mailing list. And, strangely enough, they gave everyone socks as they left.
But, they haven’t stopped there. Scion A/V has continued to put on great events (large and small), actually release music, and write solid content. They picked a niche and invested in it—now, they’re a staple. No one’s surprised now when an upcoming release is coming from Scion; it no longer feels like marketing. Isn’t that the goal?