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Table of Contents
- Don’t Sell Features—Sell Flags People Want to March Under
- Welcome to the Feature Fatigue Era
- Why Features Fail (And Flags Fly)
- The Flag Framework: How to Build a Brand People Want to March With
- 1. Define the Enemy
- 2. Plant Your Flag
- 3. Build the Uniform
- 4. Recruit the Believers
- 5. Burn the Playbook
- Case Study: Liquid Death’s March to $700M
Don’t Sell Features—Sell Flags People Want to March Under
Your product’s features don’t matter if no one cares about the mission. In a world drowning in specs and benefits, the brands that win are the ones that stand for something bigger. Here’s how to build a movement, not just a marketing plan.
Welcome to the Feature Fatigue Era
Let’s get one thing straight: no one wakes up in the morning excited about your 99.9% uptime or your AI-powered dashboard. They care about what it means for them. And more importantly, they care about what it says about them.
We’ve entered the Feature Fatigue Era—where every product is over-engineered, over-explained, and under-loved. The market is saturated with brands screaming about their bells and whistles, while customers are quietly asking, “But what do you stand for?”
Here’s the truth bomb:
“People don’t buy products. They join tribes.”
And tribes don’t rally around features. They rally around flags—bold, emotional, identity-driven ideas that say, “This is who we are.”
Why Features Fail (And Flags Fly)
Let’s break down why selling features is a losing game:
- Features are easy to copy. Your competitor can match your specs in six months. Your mission? That’s yours alone.
- Features don’t create loyalty. Specs don’t stir the soul. Movements do.
- Features are forgettable. No one remembers your 12-step onboarding flow. They remember how you made them feel.
Now contrast that with brands that sell flags:
- Apple doesn’t sell tech. They sell creative rebellion.
- Patagonia doesn’t sell jackets. They sell environmental activism.
- Harley-Davidson doesn’t sell motorcycles. They sell freedom on two wheels.
These brands don’t just have customers. They have believers.
The Flag Framework: How to Build a Brand People Want to March With
So how do you go from feature-pusher to flag-bearer? Use the Flag Framework:
1. Define the Enemy
Every movement needs a villain. Not a competitor—but a belief, a system, a status quo. What are you fighting against?
- REI fights consumerism with #OptOutside.
- Tesla fights fossil fuels and complacency.
- Airbnb fights cookie-cutter travel.
What’s your enemy? Mediocrity? Waste? Bureaucracy? Pick a fight worth having.
2. Plant Your Flag
This is your rallying cry. Your “I have a dream” moment. It should be:
- Emotional – It should stir something in the gut.
- Inclusive – It should invite people in.
- Unmistakable – It should be uniquely yours.
Examples:
3. Build the Uniform
Movements need symbols. What’s your visual identity? Your tone of voice? Your rituals?
- Supreme has the red box logo.
- Tesla has the minimalist T.
- Red Bull has extreme sports and adrenaline.
Make your brand unmistakable in every touchpoint—from your website to your swag.
4. Recruit the Believers
Don’t market to everyone. Market to the people who will carry your flag into battle.
- Use language that resonates with insiders.
- Reward early adopters with access, not discounts.
- Turn customers into co-creators.
Remember: movements grow from the inside out.
5. Burn the Playbook
If your marketing plan looks like everyone else’s, you’re doing it wrong. Movements don’t follow templates. They write manifestos.
Challenge the norms. Break the rules. Be the brand that makes people say, “Damn, I wish we’d done that.”
Case Study: Liquid Death’s March to $700M
Liquid Death sells canned water. That’s it. No vitamins. No electrolytes. No “hydration science.”
But they’ve built a $700M brand by selling a flag: death to plastic, death to boring branding, death to corporate blandness.
They didn’t market water. They marketed rebellion
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