When I visit Benrik.co.uk, I am reliably informed that I am the 8,830,157th person to visit the website. I am also advized that if Benrik approve I may be allowed to play with the other children in Benrikland.
What started out as a (presumably) tongue-in-cheek book a few years back has turned itself into a mini media empire of sorts.
The Benrik empire now spans multiple books, a popular website, various spinoffs and a regular spot in The Guardian. You can even apply for an arranged Benrikian marriage. As best as it can be described, Benrik is founded on the idea of bringing a little madness to everyday life.
The cornerstone of their world domination plans is the annual This Diary Will Change Your Life where readers are challenged to undertake random and usually bizarre tasks throughout the year and report back on their accomplishments via the website and their own personal blogs.
Here’s how they explain it on the website:
Benrik Limited is the corporate lovechild of Ben Carey and Henrik Delehag, and the outlet for their creative ideas and general outpourings.
Benrik’s mission is to introduce a welcome element of branded anarchy into our predictable lives. Benrik’s books are thus instruction manuals for warped living.
The success of the books et al have lead to Benrik being called everything from genius to a cult – in fact they happily use the term on the site. And plans for the future?
Benrik Limited have many other projects in the pipeline, including TV shows, merchandising roll-outs, and corporate fraud.
So why does it work? You could say that they’ve tapped into a need for something a little different in our staid lives or ponder deeply about the need for community in a fractured society.
Or, you could simply say they created a funny, ‘warped’ world for people to come and play in.
Site: www.benrik.co.uk/content
Subscribe for Free: RSS | EMAIL
{ 0 comments… add one now }