You could live a life where you never learned that Red Bull is energy drink. But you’d still know the name. Because they’ve positioned themselves as the ones that do the cool stuff, from Formula 1 car burnouts on top of helipads in Dubai, to water skiing from helicopters.

They still have the “gives you wings” commercials, but what they’re selling is the idea that if you get a can of chemicalized caffeine, you too could be as cool as a guy who skydives onto a beach from a skyscraper.

And while some of us might take a hard pass on that level of adrenaline, there are plenty of other people who want to feel that kind of rush, and if that starts with a purchase at a convenience store, well then, why not?

Because we make those choices based less on what the product does for us, and more on how that product makes us feel like we’re part of something bigger than ourselves.