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Concept
Identity
Identity is the story a person tells about who they are. Purchases and affiliations are signals inside that story, and even refusing to signal is itself a signal.
Why it matters
People adopt what fits the self they are becoming. Honest brands help people signal something true about themselves, rather than selling a shortcut to self-worth.
Common misconceptions
- That identity marketing means flattery. It means resonance with who someone actually is.
- That selling identity is always manipulative. It is manipulative only when it sells appearing over becoming.
How it connects
- CommunityShared identity is the seed of community.
- PositioningA position tells people whether this is for someone like them.
- Word of mouthPeople share what expresses who they are.
Essays exploring it
Essays on this idea are being written. They will gather here.
Books that shaped my thinking
- Building a StoryBrandDonald Miller
Case studies applying it
Real work applying this idea will be linked here.