The free market is abundant in brands with tag lines and logos helping us recall who and what they are, making one identify certain attributes more important over others. Owning these products or services boosts an individual’s standing in the community and self-esteem, something that hit me when a professor explained the status of owning a BMW, the ultimate driving machine. An American who owns an expensive European automobile is in a unique market segment.
They are seen to have a higher dignity, position, and stature with such an expensive foreign made car that only 360k bought in the states last year. Is it their wealth that is the common dominator or showcasing that wealth? According to the Millionaire Mind, most millionaire’s drive mundane vehicles. Although the perception of symbolism on the owner and their peers is one of power on the open roads.
Personally I can recall two events at a young age to achieve this feeling. When I begged my mother to buy me Air Jordans in 1992 for over $90 and then the Dyno VFR bike, $250. The bike made an impression greater than the shoes, even though it wasn’t a $400 comp it put me in a select club. That is, until my sister took it to the apartments and it was stolen. Easy come easy go.
Today a different reaction or non-reaction has taken the place of the old ways. Last week I purchased my first vehicle in 20yrs, a Lincoln MKZ Hybrid but the feeling and emotion of this purchase isn’t resonating like in the past. Sure, it looks sleek and sexy but it’s not increasing my standings except that I’m not asking for rides.
Funny that I’ve wanted this car for some time but found it unnecessary. The security it offers is it’s best attribute. The insignia of a Lincoln for me speaks of a different era in Detroit and the enlarged moon roof shares me with the open road flush. The seats and steering wheel engage positioning your body into ready, set, go; charming. But even as you exit and it reverts you can’t miss the lit-up Lincoln letters as you step out; ensuing brand recognition, loyalty, and status.
If we think in terms of imprinting that we receive in a day we can value the power of a repeated message. For example, if I asked you to name the 5 oceans and 7 continents on Earth, your home, most would fail. But if I asked you to name 5 car manufacturers and 7 restaurants, plus their slogan I would take that bet over the 3rd grade knowledge that has been lost.
“You own a BMW,” says Craig Robinson. “Yea, can you tell,” says the neglectful dog owner catching the keys extracted from his pet’s butt; sup dawg. The amount of trademarking has stained me for 30 years of TV, radio, mail, internet, email, smartphones, and social media in a free world that feels inorganic. I’ve been programmed to accept that certain symbols exemplify one’s self-worth, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
Working as a mercenary for health clubs all over the nation running sales and marketing promotions, I can’t forget this unique encounter I had in Waynesville, NC. Going through the tour the woman exclaimed she was signing up to “keep-up with the Jone’s,” as her girlfriend had beaten her to my promotion. The tour was going way to well and I could sense this lay-down close would not want to get tucked in. When I went over the rates, she jumped from the closing table and said, “I knew it was trick!” I didn’t say anything as the rant continued out the door but looking back on it years later, I have to ask, “why did she feel that she wasn’t good enough?”
Was it the money? A dollar a day for a membership is affordable to anyone with a willingness and the itch for physical development but this wasn’t her intention. The status of belonging to the same group as her girlfriend made an outsider feel familiarity and kinship, something she thought she didn’t have and could be acquired through the club. Symbolism in the shape of a plastic tag with a barcode and logo on her key chain wasn’t going to aid her standings in the Hunger Games but she believed it would. Why?
I suppose when one is told something, even an outright lie, they will start to question what they thought was real. For instance, my nephew tried to convince me his age and grade were inaccurate to my knowledge on a road trip. 3x’s he bolstered the ‘truth’ and I started to question myself. That is until I was made aware I’m the adult driving this bus and no kid is going to outwit me and he burst into laughter, almost kid, almost.
Now imagine if he reinforced the message with an emblem, a symbol. The force of his audio is now intertwined with a visual, not to mention a soft place on your shoulder for his hand bringing more human connection through touch and implementing an acceptance of trust. A word-of-mouth branding over decades, “my daddy loves his F-150. Pulls its weight, son. We only cheer for one team in this house,” has so many more soldiers buying for your 70,000 thoughts and 86,400 seconds a day; Moneyball style.
“I’m busy. I don’t have enough time,” is humanity bullshitting themselves. If something registers as a top ten in your cache there will be time. And if it comes with symbolism, all the more welcoming, right? But the strongest hallmark is that of an individual who builds bonds as their symbol. I once read about a funeral that shut the whole town down in Maine. An out-of-towner asked, “who died?” “Johnny, he worked at the restaurant, he knew everybody.”
Jackie Robinson said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” Serving other’s just 51% of the time will lead to the status one seeks by seeing themselves in another. Hey, if got that beamer, pick me up!
