Autotelic
The prime directive for a GNIROB brand
Have you ever stopped to think how bizarre it is that humans love music? I mean, what’s the point of all these sounds being played one after the other?
Even weirder: dancing. It’s really very odd, if you think about it: we move our feet from one spot to another, and then just move them back, while doing some weird movements with our arms. All of this without any apparent purpose.
And yet, many people have never looked happier than when they’re dancing. And many people have never been more emotionally engaged than when they listen to a beautiful composition.
The point of dancing is not to get from one side of the room to the other.
The point of music is not to get as fast as possible to the last note.
These things are 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰: they bring us joy in and of themselves.
Luxury experiences are exactly the same: we make autotelic the experience of doing things that other people do because they have to do them. The point isn’t to get you from A to B in a manner that is as smooth, fast and convenient as possible. It’s to take you from A to B and make it 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁.
Now, why am I telling you this? Because the autotelic mindset allows you to turn your own brand into something like a luxury experience.
Your customer may not be able to afford the smoothest, fastest and most convenient way to get from A to B, but you can definitely make it time well spent if you find a way to make it joyful, interesting or educational.
Look at Audrey Hepburn in the picture here. She’s riding a Vespa, which is about 200x less expensive than driving a McLaren P1. Does she look bored to you?