We have all seen the queues hours before a shop opens but what makes people so obsessed with these brands to commit to these sorts of lengths to secure a product. From the outside it can look ridiculous for just a product but the obsession is created through emotion. This obsession for brands is created when the brand has a clear identity and a consistent community feel. Something as simple as a makeup product can quickly turn from a basic cosmetic to a product that makes the consumer feel confident. 

People Buy the Lifestyle

The clever and therefore successful brands will position themselves almost like a mirror which reflects back an aspirational version of the consumer. When a consumer is making a purchasing decision they need to know if they buy this product how it will make them feel. By brands associating their products to a certain lifestyle it attracts consumers who aspire to that lifestyle. The obsession is grown through consumers seeing themselves as part of the brand community. For example, buying lip gloss can transform from a simple makeup product to making a girl feel like “that girl” because she’s identified herself with the brand identity. 

How Does the Brand Make You Feel

There are two main types of product marketing; Functional and Obsession. Functional marketing focuses on getting across to the consumer how well the product works whereas Obsession marketing focuses on displaying to the consumer the way the product makes you feel. The emotional buy in from obsession marketing will always beat functional marketing no matter how well the product works. Brands who are successful with their marketing understand that people are triggered by specific emotions such as confidence or belonging. These kinds of feelings will always outweigh any features a product could have. 

Brand Community

Obsession rarely happens independently, it tends to take place when people see others obsessing over a brand and want to be part of a community that aligns with their aspirational self. For example, when people see others queuing up for a launch or watching unboxing videos on social media, they want to be part of that too. The modern culture of UGC and influencers simply amplify the obsession for brands, making it a shared experience. Social proof works really easily if you see everyone else loving a brand then you automatically think it must be worth loving. Psychology plays a big part in the desire to want something: the more we see others wanting something, the more we want it too. 

Successful Launch Strategy 

The scarcity of what was an ordinary product can quickly transform into an event with things like limited drops. When products aren’t always available, they become more desirable because they are harder to get. Anticipation has a really powerful effect psychologically as the brain releases dopamine in the build-up to a reward, more so than after the purchase. Brands that take advantage of building anticipation pre-launch include things such as teasing and restocking in their strategies to create excitement and keep their audience engaged. 

Conclusion

The brands that create obsession through community do it intentionally through an emotional focused strategy beyond the product itself. The real question for any business is are you selling a product or are you building a brand that provides a feeling that people can’t imagine living without?