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Here’s a basic fact: not all sweaters are alike. On the one hand, there’s the generic sweatshirt you can pick up just about anywhere. It’s basic, cheap, and functional. It’s the kind of thing you buy because you’ve forgotten to pack a sweater for your holiday. Who made it is pretty much irrelevant.

Then there’s the sweatshirt you buy because you want exactly this model by this brand. It’s not just that these sweaters cost more, although they usually do – it’s that there’s more to them than the fabric. They stand for something. They fit your idea of yourself and express something about who you are.

The key message in this blink is: The most successful brands don’t sell products – they sell lifestyles.

Author Daymond John first made his name in the fashion industry by making clothing that allowed its wearers to do just this. But before we get to that, let’s take a closer look at the different kinds of clothing out there.

The first type is represented by that generic sweatshirt. This category is unbranded and low-cost. Think of the basic T-shirts and pants you find in large supermarkets all over the world.

Those supermarkets also stock a second category. These clothes cost a little more and are branded, albeit with the no-frills logo of the house label. Think about Costco’s Kirkland brand. You don’t buy jeans or socks because of this label, but it’s there all the same, setting them apart from their cheaper counterparts.

If you always buy one brand of sneaker because it has better grip or padding, by contrast, you’re buying products from the third category. In this segment of the market, choices are driven by trust. When you buy from one brand, you know what you’re getting.

The American clothing label Under Armour started out in this category. Initially known for its sports T-shirts, which wicked away perspiration more effectively than competitors’ shirts, it gradually expanded into leisurewear. At this point, Under Armour was selling more than products. Wearing the label’s clothes wasn’t just about achieving a specific outcome – it was a lifestyle.

The key to this transition? Well, Under Armour practiced what it preached. It really did make the best sports shirts on the market and that built credibility. Eventually, people could use the brand’s sporty image to tell a story about who they were and what they stood for. As we’ll see in the next blink, this insight isn’t just about selling clothes – it’s also key to personal branding.