What makes one object — a toaster, a shoe, a painting — more valuable than another object? Why is one painting, for example, worth $10 million more than another painting? Back in 2006, Rob Walker, a columnist for The New York Times Magazine, put this question to the test. He bought all sorts cheap items for under $4 — a wooden mallet, for example — asked a bunch of writers to insert the objects into short stories, and then put the items, along with the stories, up for sale on eBay. On average, the value of the objects increases by 2,700%. Crazy. The project should serve as an important reminder to all companies: a meaningful story, above all else, can go a long way in increasing the value, i.e., the prices, of your products.
