Features Don't Matter

We like to think we're rational decision-makers. That we carefully weigh features, compare benefits, and make thoughtful choices about what to buy, wear, and use.

The truth?

We're still operating on the same basic software as a three-year-old at the playground.

They don't analyze the features of the slide or weigh the benefits of the swing set. Instead, they look at the other kids and think: "What are our people doing?"

This pattern never goes away.

We just dress it up in fancier clothes.

Look at how:

• McKinsey consultants cluster around specific BMW models
• Silicon Valley PMs created a waiting list for Superhuman email—a $30/month email app
• Wellness influencers make the $50 Stanley cup sell out in minutes

In each case, the product's features matter far less than its role as a tribal identifier.

They're not making careful cost-benefit analyses.

They're answering a deeper question:

"What do our people do?"

Here's what's fascinating...

The more sophisticated we become, the more we pretend this isn't true. We build elaborate spreadsheets. We A/B test messages about features and benefits. We optimize our funnels.

But we're optimizing the wrong thing.

Because the most powerful marketing message isn't "Here's what our product does."

It's "This is what our people do."

And the most important question isn't "What should we tell them?"

It's "Who do they want to become?"