Remember the Sears “Wish Book”?

Growing up in a small town, the arrival of that Christmas catalog opened a portal to possibilities.

Local stores had modest toy selections, but that Wish Book? Pure magic. Hundreds of pages showcasing things I’d never seen in real life.

I spent hours dog-earing pages, circling toys, and daydreaming about how that G.I. Joe headquarters or LEGO space station would transform my bedroom into a world of epic adventures.

The fantasies played constantly in my mind, each one more elaborate than the last.

The actual toys pretty much never matched these reveries. But that wasn’t even the point.

The real joy lived in those weeks of delicious anticipation, imagining endless possibilities.

This pattern fascinates me because it never really stops. A recent study published in Science revealed that we spend nearly 50% of our waking hours daydreaming.

Even more intriguing? We’re happier when lost in these fantasies than when we’re focused on our own reality.

Our dog brain — that emotional, impulsive part of our mind — loves these product fantasies. While our rational tank brain analyzes features, risks and costs, our dog brain whips up vivid scenes of future satisfaction.

It gets us excitedly spinning in circles, in a frenzy of irrepressible desire.

Remember yesterday’s discussion of the Coveted Condition? These persistent daydreams layer over one another to shape our perception of what we will become through owning a product.

Watch someone shopping for their first premium coffee setup. They’re doing something beyond what’s visible (evaluating grind settings and water temperature). They are — and have been — picturing themselves crafting perfect lattes, hosting impressed friends for Sunday brunch, becoming that person who understands the subtle differences between Ethiopian and Colombian beans.

The fantasy becomes vastly more powerful than the features. More significant than the cost. When it plays enough times in someone’s mind, the product transforms from interesting to essential.

Smart product makers tap into this dynamic. They spark fantasies about what’s possible.

Like that Wish Book did for me and for millions of kids, they create a portal to possibilities.

What products spark persistent fantasies in your customers’ minds? How can you help them delight in that transformative future?

Laurier

P.S. I vividly remember the excitement when that Wish Book arrived each year. The smell of fresh ink on the glossy pages, the revelation of amazing new things, and the substance of possibility. Sure, the toys never quite matched my dreams — but those dreams reinforced my understanding of how powerful product fantasies can be!