ASMI cleverly selected an inherently

ASMI cleverly selected an inherently "better" product and promoted the hell out of it. Much of this was aimed at the trade: chefs and restaurants, who in turn, promoted their dishes to their patrons. There was also some marketing aimed at consumers, and a LOT of publicity and PR. (I worked on this account on and off for approximately 10 years, and almost all of it was either PR or trade marketing.) Packaged goods and consumer products use these same tactics, only they are a little more obvious. Labels, advertising, retail distribution (many premium products, such as perfumes and electronics, are only sold in higher end stores -- the retail environment affects their brand image), PR (now I’m thinking clothing, accessories and personal - there’s a reason celebrities are always getting free stuff -- the manufacturers know that if Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie is photographed wearing a certain brand of hair scrunchie, people are going to perceive that brand of scrunchie as being premium or luxury. Celebrity endorsements and associations can also burnish a brand image. Look at Beats by Dre headphones. By most accounts, they’re overpriced, but they are nominally better quality than your typical headphones -- and many consumers don’t have much experience with other comparable products. tl:dr: Clever marketing and PR can increase the perception of quality and rarity, which are cornerstones of a luxury/premium brand image. But the brand usually must have some observable advantages over the standard version of the product.