Is “Lifestyle” A Four Letter Word?
As the saying goes, there are two types of people in the world: those who think lifestyle is a four-letter word and those who don’t. I find myself squarely in the second camp but have never really asked myself why? Perhaps it’s because when I first heard the term lifestyle in the early 2000s, brands never said it out loud. It was whispered, not shouted.
Now lifestyle is a badge worn with pride for some, a word at the forefront of a brand’s key messaging. [Name], A Lifestyle Brand. Although I’m not here to pass a definitive ruling on whether lifestyle is a dirty word or not, I do want to understand why some love it while others loathe it, and why I have put it down for so long.
Let’s first define our terms first.
A long-form Masterclass blog defines lifestyle brands as: “…[companies that aim] to sell products by marketing a particular lifestyle. Lifestyle brands attempt to establish an emotional connection between their products and a certain lifestyle image.”
I’d like to tweak this definition a smidge to say that lifestyle brands aim to sell products by marketing a particular activity, belief, or group. Think wellness or athleisure, sommeliers or gamers.
Given this definition, lifestyle brands often feel like an affectation of a true and lived experience. I consider myself a “surfer” but think most surfing lifestyle brands are missing the upright and sturdy backbone that support a sport.
These brands can sell me a soft cotton tee with a vibey graphic but do they provide wetsuits, surfboards, wax, leashes — the necessary items needed to learn to surf or maintain a love of the activity? The answer is — rarely.
It’s this style over substance that I take issue with but let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. There must be an upshot to being a lifestyle brand that markets the feeling of an experience rather than the experience itself.
This is where audience comes in.
I do believe that a lifestyle brand like Goop, which advertises itself as a Modern Lifestyle Brand, is a way for like-minded people to interact and find each other — even if it’s idealizing another person’s lifestyle (read: Gwyneth Paltrow). There can only be one Gwyneth, meaning the audience can coalesce around their adoration and aspiration of a singular shared love. They can meetup at retreats and interact via comments on Goop’s Instagram page that has 1.8 million followers. It’s nice to be part of something larger than yourself and that’s where lifestyle brands win.
These brands are also convenient. You can purchase an entire aesthetic curated for you in addition to being part of a group with similar tastes and opinions. Huckberry will happily sell you a Stetson hat, Yeti tumbler, and Extra Stak Magnetic Multi Tool for your next car camping trip. It may sound like I’m razzing these brands a bit, and I guess I kinda am, but I think it’s completely acceptable for someone to purchase an aesthetic from soup to nuts.
If working in branding has taught me anything, it’s that a lot of people will pay you to be creative for them. Score another point for lifestyle branding.
At this point it’s also worth asking: what isn’t a lifestyle brand?
Some companies refer to themselves as lifestyle brands while others, like Patagonia, would likely choke on the word. I believe the difference is that Patagonia’s focus is on product development and the evolution of an activity or sport while other brands want to sell you the warm glow surrounding it.
But don’t get me wrong — both are lifestyle brands.
So, returning to our original question, Is lifestyle a four letter word? my updated answer is, well, it’s complicated. Like most things, the answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. It’s really a brand’s audience that will cast the deciding vote with their appreciation, loyalty, and, ultimately, dollar. After all, if you’re a successful lifestyle brand creating what you enjoy for an audience who you care about and who cares about you, who gives a f*ck?
