Skill Arbitrage Blog

This article unveils a timeless psychological framework on branding that has shaped human desire for millennia. When strategically applied to marketing, it transforms into a brand-building weapon, empowering Indian freelance copywriters to elevate themselves from hired hands to sought-after brand consultants.

Previously on From SEO to GEO…

Raghunandan mastered GEO (generative SEO), turning search algorithms into his secret weapon. While others wrote content for Google, he crafted AI-driven narratives that positioned brands inside search responses themselves.

But something was still missing.

SEO, even GEO, was just a tool. The true power wasn’t ranking. It was generating desire.

Enter Peter Thiel’s hidden billion-dollar branding philosophy. If Raghunandan wanted to go from being a sought-after strategist to an AI-powered brand consultant, he needed to do more than optimize.

(Continued…)

Introduction

“Father, allow me to introduce my friend, Swathisundari Ranganayaki Rajalakshmi Parameshwari Ranganathan Iyer.”

Raghunandan’s voice bore that unmistakable note – half pride, half nerves. Parvathishankar did not miss the way his son’s eyes flicked toward the girl as if measuring his father’s reaction. Ah. The boy was in love.

Swathi pressed her palms together in a polite namaste. “Uncle, Raghunandan speaks very highly of you.”

Raghunandan cleared his throat. “Swathi has a business problem that I believe you shall enjoy solving.”

Parvathishankar smirked. Naturally. The fool has dragged me into yet another of his grand rescue missions.

Parvathishankar leaned back, arms crossed. “Let me guess. Money.”

Swathi’s expression flickered with mild frustration, neatly contained. “I am launching a perfume brand. Luxury. Unlike anything in the market. But I am an unknown name. The field is crowded, and I do not have a vast advertising budget.”

A pause. Then, as if rehearsed, Raghunandan stepped in.

“I can optimize for AI-driven search. I can craft retention emails, trigger behavioral responses, and employ memory-optimized techniques like the Zeigarnik and Von Restorff effects.” He exhaled. “But to make people desire that which they have never encountered?” His voice dipped slightly. “That… I have yet to master.”

A glance at Swathi. Then back to his father.

“That is why we need you.”

The marketing secret only philosophers can teach

Parvathishankar steepled his fingers. “Ah. Not merely selling. But creating desire.”

His gaze shifted to Raghunandan. “Your skills prove effective when desire already exists. But this?” He gestured toward Swathi. “This is uncharted territory. Tactics shall be of no use. For tactics, my boy, do not create desire.”

He leaned forward. “Marketers instruct you in positioning. They refine messaging. Yet they seldom address the fundamental question, Why do people desire in the first place?”

A pause. Then, with quiet certainty:

“Desire does not emerge from the void. It spreads, contagious, like fire.”

He tapped his temple. “That is why Peter Thiel studied under René Girard. For Girard understood what most marketers fail to grasp.”

A beat. Then the revelation:

“People do not desire objects. They desire according to a model.”

He allowed the words to settle before continuing. “A child is content with his red truck. Until his brother reaches for another toy, suddenly, that is the one he must have.”

His eyes locked onto Raghunandan.

“That, my boy, is mimetic desire.”

Recognition flickered across Raghunandan’s face.

Parvathishankar inclined his head, satisfied. “This is why advertising thrives not on logic but on spectacle. It is not a product’s inherent value that drives demand, but the copying of desire, because people, knowingly or not, imitate the desires of others.”

He turned to Swathi.

“Hence, the question is not, ‘How do we describe your perfume?’ The question is: Who shall desire it first? And who shall follow?”

Swathi’s lips curled into a slow smile, the gears already turning.

Raghunandan leaned in. “Father… are you suggesting we fabricate an illusion of desire?”

“Illusion? No. We must manufacture reality.”

His gaze settled on his son. “Raghunandan, mark my words. If you truly wish to assist your friend,” he glanced at Swathi, a knowing glint in his eye, “and, more importantly, if you aspire to rise from a mere copywriter to a true brand consultant… you must understand this.”

He spread his hands as though unveiling a grand design.

“So, without further ado, the mechanics of desire, as explained by René Girard.”

Mimetic desire – The copycat mind

Parvathishankar folded his hands, his gaze steady. “No man desires alone, my son. He believes he chooses, but he is merely following.”

He let the words settle before continuing.

“We do not simply want things. We want them because another has wanted them first. It is not the object itself that seduces us. It is the presence of another desiring it.”

He leaned back, his voice deliberate.

“Consider this. A man does not covet a Rolex because he needs to know the time. He covets it because a man he admires, a CEO, a tycoon, or a movie star, wears one. The Rolex is not a watch. It is a symbol of the life he longs to inhabit.”

His fingers drummed against the armrest.

“And yet, marketers continue to err. They present a product and expect men and women to want it. They believe features and specifications will move hearts. Fools.”

A pause. Then, with quiet authority:

“If you show a product before showing someone wanting it, you have already lost the battle. People do not buy because they understand. They buy because they see someone they aspire to be wanting it first.”

Metaphysical desire – The search for identity

He allowed the moment to breathe before shifting.

“At a certain point, we stop chasing things. We chase what they make us feel.”

He looked at Swathi. “This, my dear, is metaphysical desire. The hunger for identity.”

Swathi’s brows knit in thought. Raghunandan leaned in, listening intently.

“When an object ceases to be merely an object, it becomes something far greater. A gateway, a passage, a transformation. A car is not about speed. A perfume is not about scent. A handbag is not about carrying capacity. These are mere pretexts. What people truly seek is a badge of belonging, an emblem of an imagined elite.”

Raghunandan nodded slowly. Parvathishankar caught the flicker of understanding in his eyes.

“Marketers waste breath selling features,” Parvathishankar continued. “But true brand architects? They do not sell. They offer access to a tribe, a legacy, an idealized self.”

A beat. Then he sat forward.

“And now, we arrive at the final lesson – the hidden puppet strings behind all desire.”

Triangular desire – How desire is copied

He held up three fingers.

“The path to desire is never a straight line. It is a triangle.”

Swathi’s brow arched.

“A man does not simply see a product and want it. No. He sees a model first. An intermediary, a figure of admiration. And he copies their longing. The object itself is the final step, the afterthought. The real battle is fought in choosing the right model, for if the model is powerful, desire becomes inevitable.”

He allowed the idea to take root.

“A woman does not wake one morning and suddenly crave a Chanel bag. No. She sees an actress, a socialite, or a powerful woman she admires carrying it. At that moment, Chanel was no longer made of leather and stitches. It is her bridge to becoming the woman she dreams of being.”

Silence stretched between them. Then, softly:

“If you control the model, you control the market.”

He turned his gaze to Swathi.

“The question is never, ‘How do I sell my perfume?’ The question is, ‘Who do I make the model of desire for?’ Choose wisely, and your brand shall never chase customers.” A glint of satisfaction. “Customers shall chase you.”

He rose, clasping his hands behind his back.

“Marketers chase attention. Brand architects engineer desire. The first plays a game of chance. The second writes the rules of the game.”

Swathi sat motionless, her mind visibly working through the revelation. Raghunandan exhaled, absorbing the weight of it all.

Parvathishankar merely smiled.

How lifestyle brands engineer desire

Parvathishankar clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze steady upon Swathi. “Let us take the example of your industry, Swathi. How do the great houses of perfumery engineers desire?”

He did not wait for an answer. The question was merely a doorway.

The Girardian marketing funnel theory

Mimetic desire (Awareness – Top of the funnel)

“A man stands in the corner of a grand room, drink in hand. He is unremarkable. Unnoticed.” Parvathishankar’s voice lowered, drawing them in.

“But then he sees another man. This one commands the space without effort. Women lean in when he speaks. He moves with an air of quiet confidence, his presence magnetic. And as our observer watches, something shifts within him.”

Parvathishankar’s gaze flickered between Swathi and Raghunandan.

“This man, the successful one, becomes a model of aspiration. He is no longer just another guest at the gathering. He is the embodiment of something our observer lacks. And in that instant, a silent envy takes root. Not merely for the man’s success, but for his very being – suave, assured, sophisticated.”

A pause.

“This is where desire is born. Not from thin air. Not from mere advertising. But from the act of mirroring another’s triumph.”

He steepled his fingers.

“This, my dear Swathi, is where your battle for the customer’s mind truly begins.”

Metaphysical desire (Consideration – Middle of the funnel)

Parvathishankar leaned forward, his voice measured and deliberate. “Our observer’s desire has now deepened. It is no longer about the man. It is about what the man represents.”

He gestured lightly as if painting the scene before them.

“He watches, studies, and dissects. What is this man’s secret? What grants him such effortless command?”

A revelation. A whisper of truth.

“It is the scent. A particular perfume clings to him, an unspoken signature. The observer’s mind reshapes reality: this perfume is not just a liquid in a bottle. It is a key.”

Parvathishankar let the weight of those words settle.

“A key to access that world. That status. That transformation. To wear it is not merely to smell pleasant. It is to step into an identity.”

He leaned back. “The perfume has been infused with symbolic value. And once that happens, Swathi, the price becomes irrelevant. For how does one put a price on self-reinvention?”

Triangular desire (Conversion – Bottom of funnel & retention)

Parvathishankar clasped his hands together, eyes glinting with knowing amusement. “And now, the final piece of the puzzle.”

He let the silence stretch just long enough for anticipation to build.

“The successful man, our observer’s model, is now firmly cemented in his mind. Not just as an individual but as an archetype. A living embodiment of the ideal he longs to inhabit.”

His fingers drummed lightly against the table.

“Now, observe the true nature of desire. The man, the model, may change his scent, switch brands, or even champion an entirely new product. Yet our observer follows. Not because of the perfume itself, but because the model has become his guiding star.”

Parvathishankar’s gaze flickered toward Swathi.

“This is why luxury houses do not sell perfume. They sell associations. They do not chase consumers. They handpick models of aspiration. And when those models evolve, the audience evolves with them.”

He leaned back. “That is why the most powerful brands cycle through influencers, celebrities, and tastemakers. The scent may change, the bottle may change, but the essence of desire remains the same.”

He tilted his head, considering Swathi. “Now, tell me. Who shall be the model for your perfume?”

Swathi exhaled, her fingers gripping the edge of the table. “This… this could work.” She could almost touch it; that’s how close she felt to success. “But how do I apply this to my perfume for women, uncle?”

The Girardian marketing funnel in action

Parvathishankar leaned forward, his voice steady. “Before we talk about tactics, understand this. Forget about the product. Forget the little bottles of aromatic fluid in your warehouse. For the next few weeks, you will only think about desire and how to generate it.”

Swathi and Raghunandan listened intently.

Step 1: Create the model (Triangular desire – Awareness / Top of the funnel)

“The first step is choosing the right model.”

Swathi pursed her lips in thought.

“Who,” Parvathishankar continued, “is the kind of person that, were she to wear your perfume, others would instinctively wish to follow?”

Swathi hesitated and then spoke with quiet certainty. “Someone elegant. Powerful. Irresistible.”

A faint smile ghosted across Parvathishankar’s face.

“Good. Now, make it real.”

He leaned forward, tapping his temple.

“Your brand requires an anchor. A figure people subconsciously emulate. Not a mere celebrity endorsement but an aspirational force. If the right model wears it, people shall not merely covet the perfume. They shall crave the transformation it promises. They shall long to embody what she represents.”

A beat. Then, softly:

“The question is not, ‘How do we describe your fragrance?’ The question is, ‘Who shall become its living embodiment?’”

Swathi’s fingers drummed against her lap, the gears of strategy turning.

Parvathishankar watched her closely, then murmured, “Choose wisely, and the market shall follow without question.”

Step 2: Elevate the product beyond itself (Metaphysical Desire – Consideration / Middle of the funnel)

Parvathishankar’s voice took on the cadence of a man revealing an ancient truth.

“The product alone is never enough,” he intoned. “It must be infused with meaning. No one craves a mere scent. They crave transformation. A shift in status. A redefinition of self.”

His gaze settled on Raghunandan.

“If you market this perfume by listing its notes – rose, sandalwood, musk – you will fail.” His words hung in the air, deliberate. “Because no man desires ingredients. He desires what they make him become.”

He gestured toward Swathi.

“But if you weave a story where wearing this fragrance alters the way one is perceived… where heads turn, where a presence lingers, where admiration blooms unbidden… then you are no longer selling a bottle of perfume.” He leaned back. “You are selling the experience of being desired.”

Raghunandan sat straighter, his mind racing. “So the perfume is not the end goal.” A realization dawned, bright and sharp. “It is a key. A key to an exclusive world.”

Parvathishankar smiled. A rare, approving nod.

“Exactly,” he said. “You are not selling a product. You are selling identity.”

Step 3: Let desire precede the sale (Mimetic desire – Conversion & retention / Bottom of the funnel)

Parvathishankar’s tone was measured and deliberate.

“If you tell people to buy, they hesitate,” he said. “If they sense others already desire it, they rush to claim it before it slips away.”

Swathi leaned in, her mind whirring. “How do we make that happen?”

Parvathishankar’s gaze sharpened.

“You must not announce the perfume,” he said. “You must make people suspect it is already wanted. Create an atmosphere where the product seems to be circulating in circles of influence, where its presence is felt but not yet available.”

A slow smile spread across Raghunandan’s face.

“So when it finally becomes available,” he mused, “it doesn’t feel like a new product. It feels like something people are already late to.”

Parvathishankar nodded, satisfied.

“And that,” he said, “is how you turn a mere bottle of perfume into an object of obsession.”

The ultimate AI-powered launch copy playbook for luxury brands

Parvathishankar fixed his gaze on Raghunandan, his voice steady and deliberate.

“Listen carefully, Raghunandan. If you want to write launch copy that makes Swathi’s perfume inescapable – the kind of campaign that Indian copywriters dream of writing for US lifestyle brands – you must master three things.”

He raised a finger.

“Mimetic Desire.”

“You don’t sell a product. You sell an identity.”

A second finger.

“AI Precision.”

“You don’t guess what works. You extract it from data.”

And finally, a third.

“Launch Psychology.”

“You don’t push people to buy. You make them afraid to miss out.”

He leaned forward.

“This is how you craft launch copy that turns a perfume into a cultural force.”

Step 1: Identify pre-existing desires on Reddit (Top of the funnel – Awareness)

Parvathishankar steepled his fingers. “Raghunandan, desire copies desire.”

Raghunandan nodded. “Then we must uncover existing cravings.”

“Precisely. And for that, we use Gigabrain, an AI-powered Reddit analysis tool. It mines the most impassioned discussions on perfume psychology, luxury branding, and aspiration.”

Swathi frowned. “People discuss such things on Reddit?”

“With fervor,” Parvathishankar said. “Let us see.”

Raghunandan typed:

“Find the most upvoted discussions in r/fragrance and r/beauty where people describe perfume making them feel confident, attractive, or powerful.”

Gigabrain delivered. The screen was filled with raw desire.

Swathi exhaled. “This changes everything.”

Parvathishankar nodded. “Now you do not sell perfume. You sell transformation.”

Raghunandan’s fingers hovered over the keys. Then he typed:

“In certain rooms, a presence is felt before a single word is spoken. A scent impossible to place. Unforgettable once known.”

Swathi whispered, “That will sell.”

Parvathishankar smiled. “That will haunt.”

Step 2: Extract the most desired perfume archetypes (Middle of the funnel – Consideration)

Parvathishankar leaned forward. “Raghunandan, tell me. What kind of woman does perfume create?”

Raghunandan hesitated. “It depends.”

“On what?”

“On the kind of woman she wishes to be.”

Parvathishankar nodded. “Precisely. And Gigabrain shall tell us which desires burn the brightest.”

Raghunandan typed:

“Analyze r/fragrance discussions and categorize the most common ‘perfume personality types’ that people desire.”

Results poured in:

• The Femme Fatale is mysterious, seductive, a whispered danger.
• The CEO is luxurious and commanding, a presence that lingers.
• The Dream Girl is soft, effortless, the breeze before the storm.

Swathi’s eyes gleamed. “So my perfume is not merely a scent. It is a choice.”

Parvathishankar smiled. “It is a shortcut. A whispered promise of transformation.”

Raghunandan’s hands moved across the keys:

“She was always noticed. But that night, she was remembered.”

Swathi whispered, “That is not copy.”

Parvathishankar’s voice was quiet. “No. That is desire.”

Step 3: Engineer FOMO with underground hype (Bottom of the funnel – Conversion & retention)

Parvathishankar folded his hands. “Raghunandan, tell me. What do men and women covet most?”

Raghunandan thought for a moment. “That which seems just beyond reach.”

Parvathishankar nodded. “Precisely. A secret is worth more than a proclamation. Gigabrain shall find where whispers begin before the world listens.”

Raghunandan typed:

“Find Reddit posts where people speak of hidden gem perfumes or luxury scents that feel ‘underground’ and exclusive.”

The screen flickered with results, gatekeepers hoarding knowledge, perfume lovers murmuring about scents known only to the few.

Swathi leaned in. “So we do not launch. We let them discover it.”

Parvathishankar smiled. “We let the right circles speak first. Then, the world follows.”

Raghunandan’s fingers flew across the keys.

“Whispers in the right circles. A signature scent for those who never chase, only attract. Limited release. Only for the few.”

Swathi exhaled. “It does not feel like an ad.”

Parvathishankar’s voice was low. “No. It feels like an invitation.”

Step 4: Generate viral copy and hook headlines

Parvathishankar leaned back. “Raghunandan, tell me. How does one write copy that grips the mind?”

Raghunandan hesitated. “By making it… feel natural?”

Parvathishankar nodded. “By stealing from the people themselves. Gigabrain shall tell us what they cannot resist.”

Raghunandan entered the query:

“Give me the top 10 most upvoted perfume-related headlines and ad-like posts from r/fragrance and similar subreddits.”

The results rolled in. Words that sparked obsession, phrases that lured readers into endless comment threads.

Swathi skimmed them, eyes narrowing. “This is how people actually speak.”

Parvathishankar’s voice was steady. “More than that. This is how they desire.”

Raghunandan’s mind raced. “So we do not write. We mirror.”

He typed:

“A scent that lingers like a secret. Impossible to place. Unforgettable once known.”

Swathi exhaled. “It does not sound like marketing.”

Parvathishankar smiled. “Because it is not. It is a conversation already happening.”

AI + Reddit + Girardian marketing = Unstoppable desire

Parvathishankar grinned. “This, Raghunandan, is how you don’t just market Swathi’s perfume. You make it an underground legend.”

Swathi raised an eyebrow. “So… instead of just selling perfume, we’re hacking into mimetic desires already thriving on Reddit?”

Parvathishankar nodded. “Desire doesn’t start with us. It’s already out there. AI just helps us locate and amplify it.”

“Thank you, Father, we will work on the launch. I have a suspicion we are going to need you again.”

(To be continued…)