It’s a little paradoxical, but good ads simultaneously tell us two things: (1) you won’t be a total weirdo if you buy this product because others are using it too, and (2) this product will make you stand out from everybody else.

David Perell is right.

People want to be unique. “Authentic” to themselves.

But only in a way that is socially acceptable within their tribe.

Fitting in by standing out.

Ads usually boil down to selling a spot at the cool kids’ table.

Or, as Seth says, “people like us do things like this.”

Of course, you have to be right about the “people”, “things”, and “us”.