Lifestyle marketing is just trying to make associations and promote your image as something people want to associate with so that people will buy and promote your products outside of your actual product space.

I like the way this person described it. “...customers aren’t necessarily buying because the product is superior to the competition, but because it makes them a part of the fraternity.”

Their goal is to get customers to buy their products based on the perception of what the company projects. Customers buy not just based on the products merits, but maybe because they feel they want to support what the company does, or because the association of what they think they get with the brands image.

You promote your brand as being tied to ideals or ideas that people want to attach to or project themselves as being.

All that so instead of just buying an energy drink when you need one... you drink them all the time, you buy t-shirts, logos, etc. (Ex: Red Bull)

You associate your brand as being associated with certain mindsets or popular people and millions wear your logo and products even outside of their intended use (Ex: Nike)

You promote your brand as some chic thing people want to be associated to... and they’ll buy anything with your logo (Ex: Supreme)

You promote your brand as projecting certain ideals or life associations (like ocean appreciation and millions buy stickers of your brand and put them on your car’s (Ex: Salt Life)

You try to project your brand as representing some image or thoughts that people want to associate with so that they will buy and use your products or logos even outside their initial purpose.

Suburban people who vacation one week a year sporting salt life stickers
Wannabes paying thousand for a supreme logo
Suburban people overpaying for Yeti T-shirt’s and hats
Kids drinking Red Bull energy drinks thinking it’s counter culture..

Etc.

Right now... stern is just saying it more than actually projecting an image people can pin down. But it’s a good move to try to capitalize on this idea of pinball’s resurgence and create sales potentials besides just pinball machines and the people that would actually buy them. It helps with product competition and expands your product opportunities and price points.

TL: DR - stern is trying to sell more than just Pinball’s and parts... they want to sell shirts, stickers, etc and have you all running around wearing their logos and promoting their brand as something cool to be associated with.