Luxury companies don't just sell products—they sell symbols that represent our deepest desires.
An ad for a Louis Vuitton handbag does not emphasize how much it can carry, just as a perfume ad does not generally describe its smell. A Ferrari advertisement might mention horsepower, but more focus is on the open road—a sense of freedom and luxury.On the surface, Louis Vuitton is selling a bag, but they're really selling status and sophistication.Perfume isn't just selling a scent, they're selling the feeling of being sexy and desired.Ferrari isn't selling a method of travel, they're selling a dream of freedom and power and speed.These products are symbols. Stand-ins that we crave because they represent fundamental human desires: Status, sex appeal, love, adventure—and more.
A symbol is a purchasable proxy for a desire; a source is the desire itself—belonging, love, mastery, freedom.Symbols can be bought, but sources—the fundamental origins of human happiness—are generally not for sale (although money can make achieving them easier.)
Symbols vs. Sources is a framework to think about what we value in life and be more conscious about what we purchase. By Alexander Webb, at Poetry Culture. Read the full article on our Substack.