Lifestyle Brands: Selling Aspirations, Not Products

Appeal to aspirations, not expectations

Perhaps the most important way for lifestyle brands to succeed, is to drive an audience to aspire to one specific, sometimes character-defining, lifestyle. This means tapping into the dreams, desires, and aspirations of your audience and showcasing how your brand can bridge the gap between the life they’re currently living, and the one they want to live. Understand their ecosystem. Their community. What makes them tick. And what kind of person they want to be.

Adidas Originals hailed independence within a wider cultural setting with their “1000 Back” campaign, which delved deep into the brand’s cultural archives by casting a spotlight over its three most esteemed silhouettes – The Samba, The Gazelle, and The Handball Spezial.

Conceived with sports functionality in mind, individuals, communities, and subcultures have helped the three models’ identity transcend to a place beyond squash and indoor futsal. Adidas presented this back through an authentically shot, single-take film, that pays homage to the communities who have represented the models through the past and present. Additionally, they’ve launched a digital hub for fans to share their interpretations of classic sneakers using #Samba, #Gazelle, and #Spezial.

Cohesion’s key

Consistency across all touchpoints is crucial for building a strong and recognisable brand identity. From your key brand messages to your visual identity, every aspect should reflect the same cohesive personality. Think of it as the way that you’re known and appreciated to look, sound, and behave as a brand.

Apple were once a tech brand known to act as a true facilitator for human creativity; from the iterative developments of the Apple pencil to the ability to hook up Garage Band to physical instruments.

Yet the latest iPad Pro ad, Crush!, was met with immediate criticism upon release. The ad plays out as a hydraulic press decimates a set of artistic tools, only to reveal that the most powerful iPhone ever, is also the thinnest. Despite its impressive production, to millions, the Orwellian feature was enough to reposition the global tech powerhouse from creator to destroyer, in 68 seconds flat. Which begs the question – why U-turn away from the one unanimous association that your audience holds up to your brand?

Create an online space for your community

Locking in a solid social strategy is pivotal for aspiring lifestyle brands, or at least those aiming to build a community. Socials allow brands to connect with their audience on a personal level, fostering greater loyalty than traditional channels. This is largely due to social channels permitting two-way dialogue between brand and consumer. The instantaneous nature of social media also allows organisations to interact with their audience immediately, addressing questions, providing updates, and participating in conversations as they happen.

For lifestyle brands, an authentic and effective way to leverage social media is through selective user-generated-content. This is mainly down to the fact that individuals are perceived as more genuine and transparent than brands; people feel they can trust an individual’s story and intentions more than a corporate message with a clear sales agenda. When co-creating content, the brand and the creator are effectively presenting one another to each other’s owned audiences, which is why it’s always important for a partnership to feel like an organic crossover, rather than something that’s blatantly incentivised.

Take part in the cultural conversation

Cultural conversations have the capability to make or break a brand, especially in the lifestyle space. Staying dialled in to social trends, and the way that people perceive your brand, can hugely enhance your credibility among followers – it shows that the brand is in tune with cultural shifts and cares about what matters to its customers. It makes them feel understood. These don’t have to be highly political topics, but ones that are relevant to your audience.

First known for their technical fabrics and distinctive compass rose badge on their garments, Stone Island was a fashion brand founded in 1982 in Ravarino, Italy. It became popularised by a group of young Italians, known as the Paninaro, who would meet at Al Panino sandwich shop in Milan to flaunt their latest gear. The brand soon found itself at the epicentre of an emerging subculture, British football hooliganism. In a 1984 fixture against Roma, Liverpool fans were inspired by the Paninaro’s style, and brought the brand back to England, where it quickly integrated into the wardrobe of the terrace casuals.

To further cement the badge’s place in the cultural conversation, the brand has since collaborated with the likes of Supreme, Nike, and New Balance Football, featured in hooligan cult classics like Green Street and Football Factory, and developed an identity that pays homage to 40 years of loyal fandom.

Stay relevant

Lifestyle brands are all about staying connected to the relevant conversations, and fostering authentic community engagement is paramount. Those that succeed, like Adidas and Stone Island, do so by aligning their identity with the aspirations and values of their audience. They leverage social media for genuine interactions, and to create a sense of belonging and loyalty for their community. As seen with the mixed reception of Apple’s iPad Pro ad, deviating from a well-established brand territory can be detrimental. Ultimately, a brand’s ability to consistently embody its core values while adapting to cultural shifts determines its longevity and memorability.

Whether it’s curating visual identities or launching killer brand partnerships, we put lifestyle brands on the map. Let’s chat through the best ways to align your brand with your audience’s aspirations. No catch.