Bloom Thinks: Making Function More Forceful Part 2

How are brands using statusful functionality to win? And what are they replacing?

In gaming amulets are accessories that give the wearer enhanced capabilities or magical powers. You have to earn them. They’re visible, often worn as a necklace or bracelet. And they help get you to the next level ahead of other players.

Modern functional brands are just like amulets. They often come at a price. They make you feel stronger and perform better. And they have badge value that elevates your status. They do good things for you. And say good things about you. Statusful functionality is a win win.

What are the most revealing examples?

‍

In Beauty.

Beauty has shifted from superficial aesthetics to benefits that go skin-deep. Some of the most popular products promise multifunctional defence against light, heat and pollutants. Skincare brand The Ordinary arranges its range by formula. Beauty brand Ilia offers ‘makeup that makes your skin better’. Beauty consumers are still seeking the best version of themselves. But they’re rejecting quick-fix fluff and filler in favour of products that work for the future, as well as the present. Naturally good-looking skin has become one of the ultimate status symbols.

In fashion & accessories.

Gorpcore style has endured for nearly a decade (‘gorp’ = good-old-raisins-and-peanuts; look it up). It brings rugged outdoor apparel to our un-rugged streets. It’s a signal that the wearer has the kit to withstand anything life throws at them. Like beauty consumers, the status gorpcore wearers get is in rejecting clothing that’s impractical, unsustainable and more style than substance.

It’s an extension of what watches and luggage have always done. A Rolex Deep sea Challenge is still accurate at 11,000 metres. The deepest a human has ever dived is 332 metres. A Rimowa suitcase is built to survive plane crashes its owner wouldn’t. But it doesn’t matter if you never test the product to its limits. Because the real benefit is what it says about you – your adventurous spirit and the £s to pursue it (if you feel like it).

‍

In food/drink.

Functional is one of the few food and drinks categories in longterm growth. Probiotic drinks Poppi and Olipop have the valuations to prove it. Protein-rich snack bars like Kind or Fulfil are flashedas lifestyle badges. The majority of mainstream food brands are behind this curve. They're snacks for mindless munching, not snacks for intentional eating.

‍

In alcohol.

Even alcohol has pivoted into functional to stay relevant. It’s more than the obvious functional benefit humans have always enjoyed. Brands like Buzzball are using format to make alcohol fit into modern occasions more easily.  It’s a rejection of rule-bound big-bottle dad drinks that feel more forced than fit.

This is how functional has upped its game to become statusful. It’s how brands have become amulets people will pay for and stay loyal to. And it’s how upstarts are making the old guard look lazy and out of touch with modern lifestyles.