Lifestyle brands arise organically, right? Wrong. More insights and action steps to become a lifestyle brand rather than a product-focused brand.
This is the second in a series of articles exploring the rise of lifestyle brands. You can read the first article here.
Perhaps you stumbled upon the first article in this series and were persuaded to explore what it takes to be a lifestyle brand. But like many CX and marketing leaders, you may be skeptical. They are a magical alchemy that brings together the right customers with common beliefs around the right product at the right time.
right? Wrong.
In this article, we’ll explore the three concrete steps companies need to take to move from a product-driven company to a lifestyle brand. The goal is to show what can be achieved with careful planning and execution.
What is a lifestyle brand?
First, a quick recap. As explained in the first article, lifestyle brands are defined by the strength and enthusiasm of the customer community around them. However, rather than being centered around a product or line of products, lifestyle brands are centered around their purpose and mission.
By relentlessly championing its mission, and building customer communities of like-minded individuals, lifestyle brands are able to retain and attract more customers and charge more for their products than their competitors. You can claim and survive turbulent economic times (or so I claim). ). Notable examples of lifestyle brands include YETI, Black Rifle Coffee, Patagonia and Barstool Sports.
Related article: Only brands with a purpose can achieve lifestyle brand status
From a product-driven company to a lifestyle brand
There is one prerequisite for moving from a product-driven company to a lifestyle brand. You must have at least one really great first product or series of products that attracts and retains your first customers.
For YETI, it was a notoriously durable cooler that kept liquids cold for a very long time.
For Barstool Sports, it was personality-driven blog content that targeted the ‘bro’ culture, whether or not they agreed with their political and social stances.
For A24, perhaps the only film studio and lifestyle brand, it was early films like Spring Breakers that garnered critical acclaim.
YETI, Barstool Sports and A24 have little in common when it comes to beliefs and missions. But after their initial success, they all made the same conscious choice. This means pursuing a product roadmap that aligns with the brand’s purpose, rather than trying to reshape the brand around an expanding set of similar products.
This is a subtle but important difference in product strategy. Most companies try to apply their product expertise to new adjacent products. For example, a company known for great T-shirts will make polos.
Action steps to lifestyle status
But one of Barstool Sports’ first forays outside of blog content wasn’t podcasts or movies. It was the infamous “Blackout Party Tour” event series, which, as the name suggests, further infused the brand into the “bro” lifestyle. .
To foster an image of the outdoors, YETI began manufacturing products such as outdoor chairs, sleeping bag blankets and dog beds. Even A24 has pursued an unconventional filmography strategy. At first, he found success with his quirky satires on youth culture with Spring Breakers and The Bling Ring, but soon transitioned to his sci-fi films and thrillers of his concept High with Under the Skin and Enemy. A24 made a conscious decision to become a production company known for its frenzied lifestyle of cinema, rather than its genre.
Related article: Why strategy is not an option in content marketing
Content aligned with brand purpose
Lifestyle brands should invest heavily in content that helps customers engage with their brand purpose. You can’t execute a lifestyle brand strategy well if it’s not also known as a content factory.
YETI has a podcast, a short film production department, and an entire content series focused on customer ambassadors. A24 sells screenplays and fans can subscribe to a monthly magazine featuring special editors such as Jonah Hill.
One of my favorite examples of this is the cocktail company Haus. They’re focused squarely on the casual, laid-back, home-drinking lifestyle that might appeal to older millennials, offering just the sort of social get-togethers you can find on Spotify. We’ve curated playlists designed to promote. They’re making it easier to literally bring their lifestyle into your living room.
wear the brand proudly
Finally, products and gear are trademarks of lifestyle brands. If you can get her ROI from bumper stickers, you’ve done it. Check out the YETI site or Barstool Sports. If you are not familiar with our products, you may mistake us for an apparel company. Apparel offers brand fans the opportunity to proudly and publicly demonstrate their loyalty to the brand’s purpose and mission. You can tell the world what you believe and who you are in a fast and efficient way. My favorite recent example is his t-shirt from his Rivian “Forever” series for the electric truck company. As the tagline says, “T-shirts that celebrate our shared vision is to keep the planet intact for our children’s children.”
I hope the previous paragraph has given you some inspiration if you are also considering pursuing a lifestyle branding strategy. It doesn’t matter if you don’t. As a lifestyle brand, we can’t appeal to all consumers. It may even generate “hate”.
However, by offering a wide range of lifestyle-focused products and investing in quality content and merchandise, it is possible to cultivate an enthusiastic and loyal customer base that is the envy of traditional-minded competitors. I can do it.
