A little bit of mystery goes a long way. Remember that girl in school you were really in awe of, and then somehow you got to know her and spend more time with her.. and then you were not in awe of her any longer. You may have turned great friends with her alright, but you certainly were not in awe of her any longer. Now if you met Pierce Brosnan often, eventually became someone on first name basis with him, saw him in his real avatar - unglamourous, available when you wanted him - would he still be as aspirational for you?
Not a chance. Exclusivity, Rarity, Scarcity .. magical words, they make you appreciate the same thing much more. Its true of people&relationships, true of food - and true of marketing as well.
At its start a mystery captures your mind, is incredibly appealing - it has to hit just the right balance.. revealing itself enough to keep you believing u can get it but still keeping its self under wraps enough to keep you interested. If not handled well then layer by layer as you see it unpeeling and you get closer to the simple truth, there is nothing to keep finding, the search is gone. the mission is achieved..
A little mystery a little exclusivity a little attitude - and that makes it desirable.. it works for brands, works for you.. something like a universal principle. And its been perhaps very well decoded by luxury brands - the advertising often is unled, unexplained - created in a manner that it can have multiple interpretations and you are welcome to find yours.
This principle - well understood for premium brands is rarely seen activated for the more mid to mass tier brands. The advertising is judged for being relatable - whereas premium or luxury advertising seems to be designed to be something for the moon.
Buying a product is buying into the promise of the brand and what it delivers. And this promise does need to be a bit larger than life, real but still far - because if just something easy can do the job then why buy the brand?
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