MIKE ABEL: Welcome to the age of ego

In an increasingly strange world, where self-worth is often measured in views, likes and followers, we’ve quietly entered a new economic age, one not built on innovation, manufacturing, or even information. It’s built on ego.

Welcome to the Economy of Egonomics: a system where attention is currency, self-importance is productised, and fame precedes function. This is no longer a fringe dynamic, it’s a defining force in our new global marketplace.

And it’s made people, and brands, very rich. 

Consider the rise of Prime, a drink brand founded by YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI. Its commercial success isn’t owed to unique hydration properties, superior formulation or even taste. It’s owed to a loyal following, algorithmic reach, and the manufactured tension of two former rivals turned business partners. In the world of egonomics, beef becomes marketing (let’s see if this extends to the current Trump vs Musk fracas). “Scarcity” becomes strategy. And brand equity is borrowed from personal virality.

Or take Alo Yoga, the wellness brand now powered by Kardashians and amplified by influencers. Originally founded as a boutique label, its reach exploded when it became a visual lifestyle shortcut, for example, yoga mats for people who’d never done yoga, but wanted to look like they might. The aesthetic became the aspiration. The influencer, the authority. The body, the billboard. The product, however, is good. I wear it.

And then, of course, keeping it in the family, there’s Kylie Jenner, who built a cosmetics empire not from a breakthrough formula or industry experience, but from Instagram, lip liner, and a finely calibrated online persona. By the time Coty bought 51% of Kylie Cosmetics for $600m, what they were really buying was cultural relevance. The product could have been perfume, toothpaste or protein powder. It didn’t matter. The formula wasn’t in the tube. It was in the ego.

This is the heart of Egonomics: the shift from products solving problems to personalities selling possibility. It’s a world where:

• Influence precedes utility;
• Visibility equals credibility; and
• Fame becomes the business plan.

We see this every day. A TikTok therapist becomes a published author. A controversial podcast host launches a supplement brand. A fitness influencer becomes a lifestyle conglomerate.

These are not flukes. They are the inevitable result of a system that rewards confidence over competence, and narrative over nuance or pedigree.

But here’s the rub: can this scale? Can it last?

Attention, like any resource, is finite. Once the algorithm shifts, or the audience tires, or the scandal erupts, the foundation begins to wobble. We’ve seen YouTube stars lose sponsorships over a tweet. We’ve seen viral beauty brands vanish from shelves because they couldn’t retain customers once the hype wore off. And we’ve seen investors get burnt chasing heat over substance.

Egonomics creates fast money. But slow loyalty.

And it’s precisely that loyalty, built over time, through trust, performance, and consistency, that legacy brands understand.

Apple didn’t go viral to sell iPhones. Hermès doesn’t need influencers to sell Birkins. Patagonia isn’t in the business of selfies. These companies have depth. Values. Craft. Purpose.

They play the long game. Egonomics is a short sprint.

Where do we go from here?

I’m not here to knock the hustle. Many egonomic entrepreneurs are savvy, adaptive and culturally attuned. But there’s a difference between riding a wave and building a vessel that can sail for decades.

Brands born of ego must evolve or die. The question is whether the founders, so central to their creation, are willing to cede the spotlight for something more sustainable.

In my 35 years in branding and communication, I’ve seen empires rise and fall. But the ones that endure are rarely built on ego. They’re built on meaning.

Truth endures. Attention fades.

And when this egonomic bubble bursts, and it will, like all bubbles do, the market will reward not those who shouted the loudest, but those who offered something real, tangible and enduring.

That’s the only real currency that compounds.

• Abel is founder and chairperson of The Up&Up Group, a locally owned, independent group of creative companies, including M&C Saatchi Abel, Levergy, Connect, Razor, Black&White and Dalmatian.