Cat Pictures and Company Strategy: More in Common Than You Think

In this Identity Insight post, we make a slightly humorous but very fundamental comparison. At first glance, cat pictures and global brands might seem worlds apart. One is silly, the other serious. One is fleeting, the other enduring. But if you look closely, they share a surprisingly similar role in human experience: both deliver identity completion.

The Cat Picture as a Product

A cat picture doesn’t make your life materially better. It doesn’t brew your coffee, fix your car, or improve your sleep. Yet millions of people share them every day. Why? Because a cat picture activates something deep in the brain: a quick, effortless “ohh, so nice” moment.

A Cat Picture

It makes you feel good, even briefly. It signals something about who you are:

fun-loving, empathetic, or playful. You share it because you want others to see that reflection of yourself. Its value isn’t functional; it’s identity value. It completes a part of your sense of self.

Big Brands as Cat Pictures for the Brain

Now look at a brand like Starbucks, Apple, or Nike. Their products do have functional value, but that’s not the whole story. What drives deep loyalty, long-term engagement, and the willingness to pay a premium is the same effect a cat picture has: they complete your identity.

• Walking into a Starbucks signals: “I am part of a culture that appreciates comfort, ritual, and taste.”

• Wearing Nike means: “I value performance, style, and aspiration.”

• Choosing Apple shows: “I care about design, simplicity, and elegance.”

People don’t just use these products, they project themselves onto them. They feel good, and they want others to recognize the same. They become willing to share logos, wear branded apparel, and defend choices that aren’t strictly functional. Just like that cat picture, the brand taps into a non-material part of the brain: identity reinforcement.

Functional Value Isn’t Required to Be Wanted

The big takeaway here is simple but often ignored: a product doesn’t need to solve a practical problem to be desired. Wanting something is not about utility alone. Identity completion (feeling like “this is me” or “this completes me”) is a powerful force.

• A cat picture is trivial, yet addictive.

• A brand like Heineken delivers taste, sure: but more importantly, it delivers recognition, pride, and belonging.

• People are proud to go there, happy to pay a premium, and even happier to be seen as someone who aligns with that brand.

Lessons for Strategy

If you are building a product or designing a company strategy, consider the following:

1. Think beyond utility. Functional benefits are important, but they are table stakes. Identity-driven engagement is where true stickiness lies.

2. Design for projection. Make it easy for people to see themselves in your product or brand. The easier it is for them to complete themselves, the more they will value it.

3. Measure the “ohh, so nice” moments. You don’t need cat pictures on your strategy map—but you do need to understand how your offering makes people feel about themselves.

In short, a cat picture and a global brand share a secret: they make people feel recognized, complete, and proud. And in the marketplace of attention, that is worth far more than utility alone.