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There is a term in marketing called ‘premium pricing’. In a nutshell, premium pricing involves charging an exceptionally high price for a product/brand in order to connote prestige and encourage favourable perceptions amongst buyers about its quality and reputation. I’m sure you’re familiar with its use- have you heard of Prada, Rolex or Louis Vuitton? The fashion industry shamelessly engages in premium pricing to give certain brands a market status of luxury or superiority, and as such, consumer’s become aspirational squanderers. The strategy arose when marketer’s cleverly realised they could exploit our tendency to assume that expensive = better. As a result they enjoy a high degree of profitability from every sale, whilst the consumer pays a bucket load for something they could probably buy at Big W for a tenth of the price, but minus the brand equity.
It would now seem that premium pricing has entered an entirely new profit driven industry- religion. As we gauged in the last WhyGuide post, Scientology charges hefty fees in exchange for differing levels of knowledge to the secrets behind the human soul and our extra terrestrial beginnings. This draws on another marketing concept- the exchange theory. We assume that in giving up our money (a hefty sum at that!) we will be entitled to something in return. The more money we give, the better the return. Perhaps this is the reasoning behind why many people ‘buy into’ Scientology. They are buying a belief, and the fact that it has economic value would mean that its more legitimate than all the things you can believe in for free...wouldn’t it???
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Another element adding to the aspirational and prestige factor of Scientology (which trumps its pure insanity) is the fact that it is endorsed by many successful and idolised celebrities. Entertainers such as John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Lisa Marie Presley, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have generated considerable publicity for Scientology. Hubbard envisaged that celebrities would have a key role to play in the dissemination of Scientology, and in 1955 launched Project Celebrity (Shaw; 2008). According to Shaw (2008), today, Scientology operates eight churches that are designated Celebrity Centers, the largest of these being the one in Hollywood. Celebrity Centers are open to the general public, but are primarily designed to minister to celebrity Scientologists. In short, the public aspire to the success, prestige and superiority of these celebrities, and so we mimic them- their fashion, their hairstyles, and now their religion.
But why are the celebrities attracted to Scientology in the first place? Hugh Urban, professor of religious studies at Ohio State University was questioned in an interview on Beliefnet.com (2005) about why he thinks Scientology appeals to celebrities. His reply was: “I think the reason that celebrities would be interested is because it's a religion that fits pretty well with a celebrity kind of personality. It's very individualistic. It celebrates your individual identity as ultimately divine... [What these people] often want at least, is some kind of spiritual validation for their wealth and lifestyle, and Scientology is a religion that says it's OK to be wealthy, it's OK to be famous, in fact, that's a sign of your spiritual development. So it kind of is a spiritual validation for that kind of lifestyle” (Urban, in Chasan; 2005).
So very clever and insightful marketing is responsible for Scientology’s adoption. The religion connotes value for the celebrities, who first take it up, and then endorse it to the public who follow blindly like loyal animals. Its legitimacy is further validated by the premium price charged for this ‘service’.
This is what I came up with as to why Scientology has taken hold. Other less complicated reasons may just be that some people enjoy science fiction a little too much, for others, the beliefs justify their assumptions that aliens exist. Of course there are some people who are just a little bit odd... What do you think?
References:
Chasan, A., (2005) Interview with Prof. Hugh B. Urban in ‘Scientology: Mind over Matter’, Beliefnet.com website, http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Scientology/Mind-Over-Matter.aspx , accessed 14/10/2010
Shaw, W., (2008), ‘What do Tom Cruise and John Travolta know about Scientology that we don't?’ The Daily Telegraph London, 14th Feb 2008, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/3671262/What-do-Tom-Cruise-and-John-Travolta-know-about-Scientology-that-we-dont.html, accessed 14/10/2010
Image 1: Worthington Scouts website (2009), http://www.worthingtonscouts.org/daycamp_brochure.html, accessed 17/10/2010
Image 2: Hot Gossip website (2008), 'Celebrity Scientologists', http://www.hotgossip.com/celebrity-scientologists/3333/, accessed 17/10/2010
