Here are a couple of posts that relate to cult brands:

Dave on the road says:

Why do people insist on preferring one brand over another? Do "Apple" people really buy Apple Computers because they do something different from a Windows computer? Can everyone be drinking coffe at Starbucks because it really is worth the almost 7 bucks for a cup? And aren’t there much better motorcycles on the market other than Harley-Davidson? (Well, not in my opinion)

Work At Home Dad writes:

What does Starbucks sell?

Most people would immediately say that Starbucks sells coffee, but I believe it is more than that. 7-11 sells coffee, but you don’t get the same feeling sipping coffee from a styrofoam 7-11 cup as you do from a Starbucks cup. There is a feeling you get when you enter a Starbucks. The stores are warm and inviting and the help is energetic and courteous. Starbucks business is not really based on coffee. It is based on the feeling that you get at Starbucks. Yes the product is good, but that is a must in any business today. Starbucks is a solution provider. When a person drives up to a Starbucks, goes in, purchases a coffee, and leaves Starbucks to go back into the world, they feel better for having done so.

The Original: