Storytelling in marketing...

"Status Stories" from Trendwatching.com (April 2008):

"STATUS STORIES: As more brands (have to) go niche and therefore tell stories that aren't known to the masses, and as experiences and non-consumption-related expenditures take over from physical (and more visible) status symbols, consumers will increasingly have to tell each other stories to achieve a status dividend from their purchases. Expect a shift from brands telling a story, to brands helping consumers tell status-yielding stories to other consumers."

This newsletter always includes products and services that I haven't heard of yet - many are stories of European origin, like the brand Wickd, a Dutch firm that produces clothing with logos that have embedded website technology, accessible via a cellphone.