Rethinking Prestige Branding summary

In 1873, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche theorized about a new type of person that he called the Ueber-Mensch. This person is independent, ahead of the masses; he lives by his own rules and values.

Prestige brands today function like this theoretical person. Ueber-Brands adhere to self-defined principles and ideals rather than striving to excel in generic, pre-established categories, such as being the fastest car on the market, the most expensive fur coat or another restaurant with three Michelin stars.

Becoming a prestige brand today requires more than just making beautiful, well-designed products. Your company also needs to follow the seven secrets of prestige branding.

Here’s the first secret. To stand out from the competition, your company needs to adopt a unique mission, a goal that you stick to at all costs. Today’s consumers want the process of buying to have more meaning so to set yourself apart from the competition, you need to establish your inspiration and explain the drive behind why your brand exists.

When a product enters the mass-consumption market, it tends to lose its prestige status. So how does ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s, for example, maintain its “hipness” while being available in nearly every supermarket?

Ben & Jerry’s is an example of the second secret to Ueber-Branding: balancing exclusivity with inclusivity.

Ever since our human ancestors shared hunting lore around a cooking fire, telling a good story has become part of the fabric that unites people and society. This love of stories, along with a desire for meaning, are powerful tools to boost your brand.

Notebook company Moleskine, for example, tells a great brand story of preserving the fading tradition of hand-written notes amid the pressures of a digital age.

So now you’ve come up with a compelling story and new customers are intrigued, eager to learn more about your company and your product. What characteristics should your product have to ensure a customer leaves with one or several in hand?

Crucially, an Ueber-Brand needs to offer “ueber” products; that is, products that fulfill the promise made by the brand’s myth.

Do you think that a hip, unconventional brand makes its employees work in gray cubicles from nine to five? Hardly. The sixth secret of a prestige brand is to align your day-to-day operations with your mission and myth.

Your company’s mission and myth should first be reflected in your corporate culture. Otherwise, the public will sense your disingenuousness, and your myth will die.