As desert play within the renowned Burning Man event continues to jump into trending mainstream awareness, you may be surprised at what this booming culture of a non-culture actually means to its growing masses. There are 10 Principles of Burning Man that guide one’s experience built upon this once barren landscape. Believe it or not, marketing is not invited to the party. Not even in the form of unintentionally dawning a brand logo-ed t-shirt. So, how does a self-sustaining community look without marketing?
What the burning of the man symbolizes for many, unofficially, is a needed break from the constricts of traditional frameworks to enable our minds the freedom to explore and experience other ideas. Commerce, which encompasses the exchange of goods and services, carries with it strict guidelines of expected interaction and value placement.
What differentiates the Burning Man interlude is the dismissal of commodities by instead partaking in the philosophy of a gifting community. When there are no strings attached you are free to share and support those around you through a radically different lens. A culture that does not “sell out” to the world of commerce enters into a breath-taking state that only those who have experienced it can put their finger on. Giving to others is contagious. Compassion is contagious. Both have been researched as keys to happiness.
Now as a marketer of over two decades, I can tell you marketing happens to be a natural state for mankind. How we segment the world to better understand it for the sake of an easier way to interact within it is part of survival. We each are a living and breathing brand. We want to find others who love what we love and will give us more of what we love. But what I believe in is authenticity. If you find that with in your business, then it must become the golden thread by which you do business. Moths to a flame!
*The contents of this post are purely based on opinion and research.
