Permission to stand for something bigger 

The intellectual alibi — regardless of which of the 5 Ps it is sourced from — needs to be based on a truth that is truer to that brand than other brands in the category. Consumers don’t need to understand the intellectual alibi, they just need to be aware of it to justify their brand choice. Does anyone know what “triple distilling” vodka really means, beyond connoting something that is probably clean and smooth?

A great intellectual alibi isn’t over-explained; rather, it’s used as a source of authority for a brand to claim something bigger.

In the era of the influencer, many brands try to manufacture deeper brand meaning through borrowed interest and association. It’s transactional instead of truthful, and the effect is often temporary.

Great brands understand the power of turning brand truths into intellectual alibis. They use them to tell more epic stories and to imbue their brands with more meaning—long-term, differentiated meaning. They rationalize why a brand can claim, or own, a state of mind, a place, moments, a feeling or an emotion, and even a belief system.

And most importantly, it grants consumers permission to choose a brand on an emotional whim.