Whether we mean to say these things or not is not the point. In the moment, it’s how other people will interpret it. Interpretation matters: forget what you think your marketing says, what does it really say to those you wish to serve?
234: When is a tool more than a tool
August 2 2018
When smartwatches started becoming prevalent, the chairman of Rolex was asked how they may influence the watch business. To which he replied, “I don’t know. I’m not in the watch business.”
When is a tool more than a tool? When it moves beyond purpose and into meaning:
- Purpose gives value: This tool has utility and reason for existing. Tools with purpose are economically selected and preserved for their utility.
- Meaning has value: This tool has value beyond utility alone. Tools with meaning are pursued and sentimentally preserved for what they represent.
A $6 Casio keeps better time than a $30,000 Rolex. Only one was designed to keep time.
