A lifestyle brand is a brand that attempts to embody the values and aspirations of a group or culture for purposes of marketing.
Each individual has an identity based on their experiences and background (e.g. ethnicity, social class, subculture, nationality, etc.). A lifestyle brand aims to sell product by convincing potential customers that this identity will be reinforced or supplemented if they publicly associate themselves with the brand.
Luxury-based lifestyle brands allow consumers to buy products that they associate with a better, more luxurious life. It appears that luxury lifestyle brands such as Gucci, Armani, and Louis Vuitton have allowed these companies to expand well beyond their original markets of fashion or handbags. For example , Armani Bar is opened in Hong Kong.
A prototypical lifestyle brand is Abercrombie & Fitch. A&F has created a lifestyle based on a preppy, young Ivy League lifestyle. Their retail outlets reflect this lifestyle through their luxurious store environment, admirable store associates (models), and their black and white photographs featuring young people living the Abercrombie lifestyle. In doing so, Abercrombie & Fitch has created an outlet for those who lead, or wish to lead this lifestyle.
One popular source for lifestyle brands is national identity. Victoria's Secret purposely evoked the English upper class in its initial branding efforts, while Louis Vuitton continues to draw on the opulent tradition of the French aristocracy.
Brands that "represent" specific stereotypic or lifestyle demographic focus on evoking emotional connections between a consumer and that consumer's desire to affiliate him or herself with the represented demographic.
Many companies have unsuccessfully attempted to turn their brands into lifestyle brands. Certain brands appear to lack the cachet or excitement to make the transition.
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