Branding the Beast: Aleister Crowley as an Advertiser of the Occult

• This article discusses the British occultist Aleister Crowley (1875–1947) as an advertiser of the occult. Relying on theories of advertising and branding, it is argued that Crowley’s main branding strategy was the use of irony and humor in order to distance himself from other actors on the occult market. Furthermore, it is argued that this can be understood as a strategy of legitimization rooted in class consciousness, and more specifically in the elite intellectualism of turn-of-the-century Oxbridge. Crowley’s brand identity as the Great Beast 666, the Prophet of a New Age or Aeon, is analyzed with a special focus on his branding strategies in advertising, divided into (1) advertisements in books, (2) prospectuses, (3) marketing campaigns, and (4) the marketing of Crowley as a spiritual teacher.

Ämnesord

HUMANIORA  -- Filosofi, etik och religion (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Philosophy, Ethics and Religion (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Konst (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Arts (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

advertising

Aleister Crowley

branding

commercialization

irony

occultism

Thelema

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)