Primal Branding Breakdown: Don’t Just Sell — Create a Belief System
With dozens of brands vying for our attention daily, it’s crucial to stand apart. Successful brands do more than just sell products or services — they create belief systems. They establish a set of values, stories, and rituals that resonate deeply with their audience, transforming passive buyers into loyal advocates.
In the book Primal Branding, Patrick Hanlon lays out seven key elements that help brands construct powerful belief systems. While the book itself is well over a decade old here in 2025, the basics resound strongly even today.
By integrating these seven elements of a powerful “primal” brand, companies can build and keep communities that go beyond simple transactions, fostering lasting loyalty and engagement.
What It Means to Have a Belief System
A belief system is a framework that gives meaning and identity to a brand. It’s the reason why people don’t just buy Patagonia products; they align with its environmental mission. It’s why Marshall speaker owners don’t just buy audio equipment; they embrace a timeless rock-and-roll aesthetic. Strong brands don’t just appeal to logic or price points — they tap into emotions, culture, and identity.
At the core of every brand belief system are these elements:
- Creation Story — How and why the brand was born.
- Creed — The guiding mission and values.
- Icons — Visual and sensory elements that symbolize the brand.
- Rituals — Repeatable behaviors that engage customers.
- Pagans (Nonbelievers) — The opposition that defines the brand’s in-group.
- Sacred Words — Unique vocabulary that reinforces brand identity.
- Leader — A central figure or ethos that embodies the brand’s vision.
When these components come together, they create a system that goes beyond traditional marketing. It becomes a movement, inspiring people to become evangelists for their shared causes.
Real-Life Examples of Brands That Have Used the Primal Branding Breakdown
I’ll share three big brands I support, and explain the logic behind why I’m more than just an occasional buyer; I’m a committed supporter of their products and everything they stand for.
Patagonia: An Adventurous Brand with a Mission
Patagonia is more than an outdoor apparel company — it’s a call to action for supporting the environment and practicing conscious consumerism. Its creation story is rooted in the 1970s, when Yvon Chouinard, a climber and craftsman, started making gear to improve climbing equipment.
Patagonia became a revolutionary brand that challenged the traditional relationship between business and nature. The brand’s creed is simple yet radical: Business should be a force for good. Patagonia doesn’t just sell products; it preaches environmental activism, urging consumers to buy less, repair more, and take a stand against overconsumption. When Patagonia ran its famous “Don’t Buy This Jacket” ad, it wasn’t a marketing gimmick — it was a declaration of its values. Even today, their YouTube channel documents all their values clear as day.
Patagonia’s recognizable icons include its mountain silhouette logo, minimalist product designs, and the worn, adventure-ready aesthetic that its loyal customers embrace. The brand has instilled rituals that create an emotional connection with its audience: customers return their gear for repairs instead of replacements, thanks to their Ironclad Guarantee. Instead of throwing away a puffer jacket where the zipper broke, you can send it back for a free replacement, and if they can easily do so, they’ll replace your jacket with a new one for free.
Customers also engage with Patagonia’s grassroots activism campaigns, and they see their clothing as part of a larger, values-driven movement. With today’s fast-fashion emphasis, this is truly impressive. In fact, Patagonia’s pagans who oppose their values are these fast-fashion brands and corporations that prioritize profit over sustainability.
It has built a vocabulary of sacred words, such as “Worn Wear,” “Fair Trade Certified,” and “Regenerative Organic.” At its core, Patagonia is led not only by its founder Chouinard, but also an ethos — a truly primal brand that calls on every customer to live more responsibly and to fight for the planet’s future.
Lush Cosmetics: Ethical Beauty with a Purpose
Lush Cosmetics is not just about selling skincare and bath bombs — the brand is about rewriting the rules of the beauty industry with ethics at the forefront. Its creation story began in the 1990s when founders Mark Constantine and Liz Weir set out to create handmade, cruelty-free, and environmentally friendly products. Frustrated by an industry full of synthetic ingredients and misleading marketing, they built a brand committed to transparency and sustainability through forward campaigns.
At the heart of Lush’s creed is a strong stance against animal testing, excessive packaging, and harmful chemicals. The company doesn’t just claim to be ethical; it actively campaigns for change as a part of its very values, whether through sourcing fair-trade ingredients or supporting grassroots activism. Walking into a Lush store isn’t just a shopping trip — it’s an experience of sensory delight, from the rich fragrances to the vibrant colors of handmade products, reinforcing the brand’s icons. Even more, it never smells artificial or chemical-based. The aromas are always fresh and comforting, in my opinion, sourced from natural essential oils and sources.
Lush has established rituals that make customers feel part of something bigger. Employees passionately demonstrate products, shaping a tactile and interactive experience, and even share free samples of any product when a customer requests them. I do it often!
Customers can also engage in ethical buying by choosing “naked” (package-free) products or returning used pots for recycling for money off another purchase or a free incentive like a fresh facemask. The blueberry is my favorite!
Unlike traditional beauty brands, Lush draws a clear line against its pagans — companies that rely on unethical practices and mass production. They’re active on their site and blog about their commitment to change all across the world.
Lush’s sacred words include phrases like “Fresh Handmade Cosmetics,” “Naked Packaging,” and “Fighting Animal Testing.” Though the brand has no singular public leader, its mission-driven culture to protect nature and animals acts as a guiding force, proving that a business can thrive while prioritizing ethics over profit.
Marshall: More Than Just a Speaker — A Rebellion
Marshall isn’t just a brand — it’s a “primal” symbol of rebellion, authenticity, and pure, unfiltered sound. Born in the 1960s, its creation story is woven into the history of rock and roll. Jim Marshall, the brand’s founder, created amplifiers that would define the sound of legendary musicians like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. From underground clubs to stadium stages, Marshall amps became an integral part of rock culture.
Marshall’s creed is all about power, passion, and individuality. It isn’t about selling speakers — it’s about bringing people closer to the raw, electrifying energy of live music. Owning a Marshall isn’t just about sound quality; it’s about owning a piece of music history.
The brand’s icons are unmistakable — the black-and-gold aesthetic, the vintage-style knobs, and the classic script logo that adorns both its amps and modern consumer speakers. Rituals among Marshall users include the thrill of turning up the volume, tweaking settings to find the perfect tone, and experiencing music the way artists intended. The brand doesn’t cater to those who prefer sterile, overly digitized sound; its pagans are brands that sacrifice character for convenience.
Marshall’s sacred words include “Plexi,” “Stack,” and “Handwired,” phrases that hold deep significance in the world of musicians and audiophiles. Although Jim Marshall himself was an iconic figure, the leader of the brand is the rock-and-roll spirit it embodies — one that continues to resonate with generations of music lovers.
Why These “Primal” Elements Matter for Your Brand
People don’t just want to buy products; they want to belong to something greater than themselves. When a brand successfully creates a belief system, it transitions from being just another company to a movement that customers actively champion.
Ask yourself: What’s your brand’s creation story? What values do you stand for? What are your rituals, icons, and sacred words? How are you weaving these elements into your messaging, brand positioning, and customer experience?
By following these seven principles of primal branding, you can build a company that doesn’t merely sell — it inspires a loyal following and encourages new customers to support your cause.
At Greenlane, we help companies like yours to use their brand messaging in powerful ways to promote your products and services — and your mission at large — online. Explore our Branding Services, today.
