// The T-shirt Paradox

What we call “brand value” might be the wrong thing entirely.

We like to say the brand is the most valuable thing a company owns. But if that’s true, why are we so bad at defining what it’s actually worth?

Imagine a plain white T-shirt. It might cost $5. Now add a logo on the chest. A Nike swoosh, for example, and suddenly, it’s $50. A Gucci logo? Now you’re closer to $500. Maybe $1000. Same fabric. Same stitching. Very different value.

That’s not about product. It’s about perception. And more specifically: the social perception of brands. Some logos add cultural value, regardless of the company’s size. Others don’t.

Try it yourself:
How much would you pay for a T-shirt that says Coca-Cola? Or Mercedes-Benz? Would you even wear it among friends in town?

Chances are you wouldn’t, and not because the brands are unknown. But because of what they say about you, and ultimately the social status they give you.