Just a Group of Oil Ladies: The Fandom Phenomena of Essential Oil Users

Introduction

More than three dozen ladies wait expectantly for “Lucy.” Lucy, who is in her early forties, will dedicate a couple of hours to share her knowledge and secret recipes with this group of enthusiastic, menopausal women to help them spice their love life and improve their mental wellbeing. No, she is not a psychologist or a sex therapist. Lucy, an expert of essential oils (EO) use, represents Young Living (YL), a well-known company of EO with thousands of sales representatives and consumers around the World. Armed with her smartphone, in lieu of a notebook, and her case of oils she is ready to teach new rituals and recipes to the already fans of the YL brand. Thanks to her concoctions Lucy is known as an alchemist within the community.

While old devotees of YL clearly understand the terms and are familiar with the product names Lucy mentions during her talk, novices (i.e. newbies) to the brand look at her with curious eyes and continuously interrupt the talk to ask questions trying to get immersed in this new world of products aimed to enhance their health and wellbeing.

As simple as it might seem, using an essential oil requires some learning. Although sales representatives of YL provide newcomers with some basic information to introduce them in to the world of EO and its benefits; the truth is that main wisdoms comes from true devotees who are willing to share their knowledge and secrets with novices, to teach them the basic rituals to properly use the oils: how to handle the small bottle, how to drop the oil on the hand to activate the ingredients, and how to smell, rub, inhale or take each oil. And that is just the beginning. True devotees not only use the oils to freshen the environment. They have adopted a lifestyle in which the oils are the main protagonists. Oils are used to cook, bake, cure ailments, take care of pets and increase emotional wellbeing, among other uses.

As true believers of the power and effect of essential oils, knowledgeable leaders of the community (i.e. alphas) have created specific rituals to solve ordinary problems. Tantrums? Distracted students? Low self-esteem? Mosquito bites? Headaches? Stress? There is an oil for those and many other daily ailments and situations. If you ask, not only the YL sales consultant, but experienced alchemists and devotees, will sure share a protocol (as fans of the brand call the routine to use each oil), and provide testimonies of how the oil works. EO fans have more faith in essential oils, than they do in allopathic medicine. They have taken advantage of digital media and smartphones not only to socialize, but to indoctrinate and educate new users of the brand, helping them to evolve from neophytes to committed members of the community (Schouten & McAlexander, 1995).

But how do those new users of essential oils become fans? What role do alchemists and alphas play in this community? How does an instant messaging application like WhatsApp benefits fan activity?

Following Collins & Murphy (2018) the author initially discovered five different segments of fans: novices o neophytes, alchemists or geeks, alphas, purists and evangelists. Each with specific traits and characteristics, but at the same time providing value to the brand by being active users of the products, sharing stories and testimonies.

The YL founder baptized the oils with names that ad an aura of mysticism to the experience of using and sharing an oil. “Build your dreams”, “dragon time”, “transformation” or “dream catcher” are only some of the blends loved by fans of the brand. Devotees do not only use the product at home, they are also taking advantage of a wide variety of oil compatible gadgets to build their sanctuary almost anywhere.

As Belk & Tumbat (2005) suggest, devotees of YL have built a strong and special relationship with the brand; the reference guide for essential oils app is always ready on their smartphones, both for personal use or for providing guiding and assistance to new users of the brand; and what is even better, children and adolescents are also becoming fans of YL. It seems that the influence of their parents has set roots, building a long-term commitment with a brand that allows its customers to play, create and design their own wellness elements.