Brands gesture to these ideas of excellence, but they are only lived out, or fulfilled, by the lifestyle participants themselves.

the brand hierarchy is simply about whether or not these needs were met by the brand. For example, if a customer goes to a store to buy a product and it’s out of stock then they will buy whatever product is there that also meets their needs. Think ant spray, paper towels, cooking oil, etc. It’s very hard to make one of these brands standout unless

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To avoid it, luxury companies have to maintain and grow their distinction as they scale.