From a practical standpoint, the Prius and the Hummer are identical. Both will get you from here to there.
From an emotional standpoint, though, the Prius and the Hummer feel completely different.
Theodore Levitt famously said, “People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch bit. They want a quarter-inch hole."
We are irrational and emotional people.
The thing—the car, the piece of clothing, the people we hang out with, the founder we support— is nothing more than a piece of our story. It’s the quarter-inch bit.
What we really desire is the quarter-inch hole.
We don’t just want to get from point A to point B. We want the feeling that comes from that experience.
We want to feel young, hip, in-the-know, and powerful.
Better yet, we want to be seen, admired, loved, and respected.
Yes, we make things for utility. But it turns out that’s not what people are really after.