Hoodwinked with Dr. Mara Einstein

What if your favorite brand—or your favorite influencer—used the same playbook as a cult? 

Hoodwinked with Dr. Mara Einstein unpacks how modern marketing borrows tactics from cults, MLMs, and political movements to win hearts, minds, and wallets. Through conversations with academics, activists, and insiders, Einstein—author of Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults—reveals how belief and commerce became inseparable in the digital age. 

From influencer culture and wellness scams to pyramid schemes and political persuasion, Hoodwinked traces the hidden connections between belief and manipulation. Each episode explores how the same tools that keep followers loyal also keep consumers buying—and how to recognize when inspiration turns into indoctrination.

Produced by Multitude

Looking to interview experts in consumer psychology, cult dynamics, or marketing ethics who can delve into the manipulative techniques shared by brands, influencers, and cults for our podcast, Hoodwinked with Dr. Mara Einstein.

Note: Guest insights are created with AI assistance.