Follow the Rabbit is a (video) podcast that invites you into the messy, interconnected world of cultural research. Join Igor and Johannes in Season 1 as they use Toby Shorin's essay Life after Lifestyle to explore cultural rabbit holes, connect unexpected dots, and uncover insights that shape our world, all while working with the garage door open.

This episode of Follow the Rabbit features Igor exploring a specific section of Toby Shorin's essay “Life After Lifestyle,” focusing on the concept of “Buy Identity First and Product Second.” Key points include:

1. Introduction to the Triple Sphere Hiking Club, a brand that emerged from a community rather than creating a community around a product.
2. Personal anecdote about Deru, a Munich retail shop that closed and transformed into a community-focused entity.
3. Discussion of how some consumers prefer socially valuable products over functionally superior ones (e.g., Stone Island vs. Nanamica).
4. Introduction to Bandit, a company that built products around an existing community, challenging traditional brand-building approaches.
5. Highlight of Bandit's unique features, such as offering membership and selling products from other brands at a discount.
6. Reference to David Fischer's (founder of Highsnobiety) comment about a brand having more communication experts than fashion designers.
7. Reflection on how brands are increasingly focusing on meeting people's needs for identity and communication rather than just selling products.
8. Observation that this trend is particularly relevant for certain generations and demographics.
9. Suggestion that this approach to branding and community-building is likely to be a recurring theme in future explorations.

The episode emphasizes the shift in consumer culture towards brands that offer identity and community first, with products becoming a secondary consideration.

You can also watch this episode on YouTube at https://youtu.be/3ItplxMtvyQ