Desires, Beliefs, and Brands

🔑 The Unlock

How to Make People Care About Your Brand

Brand-building is about understanding what makes people tick.

Here's how to tap into 3 forces that drive human decisions and brand loyalty:

1️⃣ Aesthetics: Make Them Feel Something

"The enjoyment we get from something derives from what we think that thing is." — Paul Bloom

Looks, sounds, textures—these aren't superficial. They're the signals that tell people: This is for you.

A $2 plastic pen and a $750 Montblanc fountain pen both write words and sign contracts. But only one makes you feel like a novelist or a CEO.

Try this:

• Curate your brand's visual identity—color, typography, layout, even motion

• Create small sensory moments—a website's hover effect, the sound of a product's click

• Be intentional with packaging, digital or physical. It's all part of the story

If your brand doesn't look, sound, or feel pleasurably distinct, people won't tune in.

2️⃣ Identity: Help People Tell Their Story

"Brands help people tell the world—and themselves—who they are and where they belong." — Kevin Drawbaugh

People don't just buy products. They buy symbols of who they are.

A CrossFit gym membership isn't just fitness. It's proof of dedication.
A thrifted wardrobe isn't just fashion. It's counter-culture and sustainability.
Time spent with The New Yorker or Fox News isn't just about news. It's intellectual status and tribalism.

Try this:

• Clarify what your brand stands for

• Speak to a specific audience identity, not "everyone"

• Tell stories about who your audience becomes when they engage with your brand

When people wear, use, or share your work, it should feel like an extension of themselves.

3️⃣ Control: Give People Power

"A key component of happiness is a sense of control over your life." — Gretchen Rubin

People don't just want things. They want agency.

Duolingo lets you learn a language at your pace.
Glossier lets customers co-create products.
Etsy lets artists sell work without gatekeepers.

Try this:

• Remove friction where possible, but add intentional hurdles to create exclusivity

• Give customers choices: customization, flexible pricing, adaptable features

• Use technology to show progress, unlock milestones, and create satisfying feedback loops

The more control people feel, the more they trust you—and the more loyal they become.

📌 Remember: Aesthetics connect emotionally. Identity lets people declare who they are. Control empowers them to engage deeply. Nail all three, and you're building a powerful brand that’s delivering 3D meaning and value.

💡 Creative Edge

The Hidden Cost of Ignoring Desire

People rarely make decisions purely because of logic.

A $240 concert ticket isn't just music. It's memory-making, identity, and a story you'll tell for years.

A $90k Steinway piano isn't just a box of wood and strings. It's belonging to a tribe of people who speak the same creative language.

Price is math. Value is emotion.

So if you're struggling to sell your work, stop asking:

"How can I make people understand my product?"

Start asking:

"How does this make people feel?"

📌 Mindset shift: “The winner is the chef who takes the same ingredients as everybody else and produces the best results.”
—Edward de Bono

🎲 Prompt Playground

Design Your Brand's Emotional Blueprint

Use this to uncover the deeper desires and beliefs your brand should tap into—and how to communicate them with clarity and emotion.

Copy + paste the prompt below into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Perplexity, fill in the blanks, and see what happens!

Prompt:
You are my brand strategist and creative partner. Help me clarify the emotional and identity-driven elements of my brand.

My context:

• What I create: [describe briefly]

• Who I serve: [your audience or customers]

• Feelings I want people to have: [e.g. inspired, safe, elite, rebellious]

• My brand's core values: [list 2-3]

• The transformation my audience experiences: [what they become or feel]

Help me:

• Define a clear brand aesthetic that aligns with these feelings

• Identify key identity signals that connect with my audience

• Suggest ways I can give my customers more control and agency

• Write a short brand statement that ties all this together

Keep it practical, human, and specific for creative businesses.

✅ Bonus Prompt:
“Given my audience and values, what story could I tell that would emotionally connect with them and help them see my brand as part of their identity?”

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🛠️ Creator Tools

• SoundSoup – Your personal DJ, remixing music vibes in real-time with AI.

• ImagePromptGuru – Instantly convert any image into high-quality AI art prompts.

• ListenHub – Transform articles and newsletters into lifelike AI podcasts.

💼 Open Opportunities 

Monetization Lead, Video & Social – Wondery, an Amazon company View Role →

Influencer Marketing Coordinator – Hundred Days Digital (Remote) View Role →

Your next move in Music
Explore the MBW Job Board →

Crack into Podcasting
Check out the Sounds Profitable Job Board →

📌 Know someone looking? Forward this to them!

⚡ Your Next Bold Move

I run JMedia, an advisory firm helping companies and creatives bring their ideas to life. Here are a few ways we can work together when you’re ready:

1. Get 1:1 Support from Me: Need a thought partner to help shape what's next for your project or team? Let’s talk! 

   🗓️ SCHEDULE 1:1 WITH ME

2. Audit Your Podcast: Get pro-level eyes on your podcast without hiring a full-time producer.

   🎙️LEVEL-UP YOUR PODCAST

3. Speaking Engagements & Workshops: Looking for a speaker for your next live (or virtual) event? Or someone to lead your next strategic workshop?

   🚀 LET’S TALK

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Thanks you for spending time with Red Threads this week.

I’m glad you’re here :)

~ Jaime

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