A Look Back on My Life with Branding

When we began this section in class, I did not think that branding was such a big part of my life. I looked at the things that I had with me in class and wondered why I had so much of what I had. In my possession, I had an iPhone, a Puma backpack, Nike shoes, a sweater from H&M, and a scarf from The North Face. From there, I began to notice how I put the brands before the title of each item. I did not see my phone as just a phone; I saw it as an iPhone. I did not see my backpack as a normal backpack; I saw it as a Puma backpack. No matter what item I have, there is always a name attached to it in some way shape or form, visible or invisible.

As this crossed through my mind, I backtracked to when I was a child to see if there was anything that I owned that did not have a brand attached to it. After trying to remember all of the things that I owned, I realized that everything I had had a brand attached to it. I never had a toy truck; I had a toy truck from Mattel. I did not just have crayons; I had Crayola crayons. Why are names attached to every single item? What is the purpose for all of this?

As discussed in class, brand marketing used to be targeted at adults, but now it is towards children. After looking aback at my past possessions, I began to whole-heartedly agree with this theory. Everything that I owned in the past and own in the present supports my agreement with the statement. However, there has to be more to a corporation’s motive for brand loyalty. The brand of an item must have more meaning.

As a fashion merchandising major, I focus heavily on the quality of items. I have learned that the brand is not just only a name, but it represents the quality of their products. The reason why high fashion brand names are so successful is because they focus on the quality of each and every one of their products that they sell to their consumers. For example, Louis Vuitton focuses on the quality of their stitching and the appearance of their bags more than Charlotte Russe does.

I do not think that corporations are trying to brainwash us with branding. However, I do believe that branding has become so subliminal in our everyday lives that it is just a normal routine to recognize it at all times. So, the next time that someone tries to ask you why you have a certain product, ask them the exact same question. No one will just say that they have a phone; they will say that they have an Android, iPhone, Blackberry, etc. But why do they have the phones that they have? The answer is quality and personal preference.