Gone is the world of making and manufacturing - inventing a machine that could do something for the first time, something that revolutionised lives and or society, with the owner of the 'idea' rushing out to get it patented.
Hundreds of years later, thanks to technology, we are swimming with features and options... half of which, on my smart phone, if I'm honest, I can't face learning how to use and I certainly can't face learning about them in advance of a purchase in order to help me decide what to buy.
This partly explains why differentiating one product from another has become less about what it can do and more about how it makes you feel.
People sub consciously gravitate towards brands that feel authentic and meaningful, express values and a purpose they can identify with or choose to associate with, and by doing so, join a community that they wish to belong to.
It seems technology and the material doesn't satisfy our souls
This is where brands come in - the stories they tell, the purpose and values they operate by, the personality the express - they wrap meaning and depth around products and services.
The real key to a successful brand is not conventional marketing mechanics such as sales funnels, segmentation and spreadsheets. It's much more visceral, it's more human - it's a world of story telling, emotion, and meaning. It's the language by which brands can make products and services matter.
