American consumerism, and temporarily achieved great popularity.  Suppression and co-optation in the US required the creation of an entire secret police system (mostly to make drug busts), and the counter-revolutionary promotion of (high profit) "lifestyles."  

On the other side, the hippies never did get "strategy."  

And finally, of course, popularity did not mean people were ready to join the new way, only that they were really fascinated by the idea of being free, and even imagined it for a while.  

The Fates are kind.