Making a connection through lifestyle brands.

As technology continues to shrink the world we live in, traditional brands become more and more at risk. Making a single product and trying to sell it to a large audience isn’t enough. People want to associate themselves with brands that reflect their values and personality. The brand becomes an extension of the person, and vice versa.

Take Nike for example. This is a brand built on the idea that anyone, at any age or skill level can accomplish anything…they just have to do it. This lifestyle brand expanded from simply delivering its legendary athletic shoes to specialized clothing and now sensor technology. The brand began with Nike+ sensors and now the Nike+ FuelBand, which allows people to set goals, track their habits and work toward a healthier lifestyle. They provide value—while serving as a reminder for people to go after whatever it is their goal is. That promise—to just do it, with a silent “we believe in you” lingering in the air remains at the core of how Nike shapes the future of the brand.

Red Bull is another example of a brand that has taken on a lifestyle. The drink, which has always been known to “give you wings,” has grown to inspire the daredevil in all of us. The brand has aligned itself with activities that are associated with a specific market segment. From motorsports to surfing, music to games, the brand has moved beyond energy drinks and into the daily lives of its audience. Unlike Nike, Red Bull hasn’t explored much territory outside of its original beverage. But it has infiltrated popular culture, and it continues to push the boundaries of brands merging with life.

As communities of people are formed over a specific idea or belief, brands will need to continue to explore branding as an extension of those ideas and beliefs. Becoming more human-like, and developing products and services that meet needs at a more human level will clearly separate the leaders from those brands just trying to survive.