Richard Van Dyke
Sylva Miller
ENG 121 1N4
2-27-2014
You Have Been Assimilated: The Rise of the Brand
In the book “No Logo” Naomi
Klein proposes that the recent growth in wealth and cultural influence of
multinational conglomerates can be directly attributed to branding and
advertising (967). She claims that the
rise of the brand has had the effect of making the actual product being
marketed less important. This new trend
in advertising focuses on how the consumer feels about the idea behind the product and how that idea reflects on their sense
of self-worth. She further states that
these companies are in the business of promoting a “lifestyle” by convincing
consumers that their branded product will point the way to contentment
(976). In a “post product” age the
desires of the consumer are no longer significant. Madison Avenue now dictates the wants and
even the needs of the masses.
Branding, above all else,
drives shoppers into stores to buy items that they otherwise would eschew. How do you know Nike has the best shoe? Or that Starbucks has the best coffee? You know because you are constantly fed a
narrative that this is the truth. In all
reality, most of us know on some level that nearly all sneakers are produced by
underpaid workers in developing countries such as China and Indonesia and that their
quality is nearly identical. Just as
surely as we know that the mom and pop coffee shop on the corner (as well as
the coffee maker on our own counters) makes a cup of Joe that would probably be
just as good as the one you would find at Starbucks. It’s how the product makes us feel that
drives the sale.
By taking ubiquitous products
and branding them, advertisers made them seem preferred and allowed companies
to build “brand loyalty” (969). In
reality, the products being purchased by consumers without the brand name were
usually identical to what the grocer was already selling. The difference was in the marketing. Instead of going into the grocery store to
pick up a loaf of bread, the consumer was now convinced that any old bread
would not do. “Wonder Bread” was the
product the shopper was there for and no substitute would suffice.
Over the last century, product
marketing and branding has had the effect of illuminating areas of “need” in
consumer’s lives that they otherwise had no idea existed. The automobile is a perfect example. Companies such as GM and Ford were so
successful at delivering their message to the common man, sales of their
(relatively) expensive products skyrocketed.
Once seen as a convenience item, the car, through aggressive advertising
and branding, became to be perceived as a necessity. A status symbol a consumer could use to
differentiate himself from his neighbor.
Mass transit and even walking became passé, something only low class
people engaged in.
During the post-World War II
era the emergence of the middle class and availability of disposable income
allowed marketers to further advance the idea of “brand essence” (970). Coke, Marlboro, Kraft. These brands all evoke powerful images of
class, convenience and “the good life”.
The public gladly accepts a higher cost because these branded products
are perceived to be premium. This was a
direct appeal to a consumer’s idea of how a product could enhance their
lives. What does a cowboy on horseback have
to do with smoking cigarettes? Or a polar bear with caramel colored, carbonated
sugar water? Nothing, but the feelings
that they evoke drive sales of the products.
Marketers understand this effect and do their best to exploit it for
their clients.
A hundred times a day
consumers are submerged in a sea of advertisements that are specifically
crafted to make them feel that their life cannot be complete unless they
possess the latest shiny widget. From
all directions the marketing assault on the senses is unrelenting. Are you an
“Apple” person? Well then the new iPad
is for you. Feeling a little
thirsty? A Coke is the only thing that
will quench that thirst. It’s
unimportant whether or not the need is for these specific items. A generic tablet at half the price would do
the same job as that iPad and a glass of water is actually what your body is
craving, but we have been convinced that these branded products are the only
thing that will satisfy our desire.
Marketers have found branding
to be an effective hedge against profit loss.
Even during times of economic slowdowns effective marketing of
well-known brands (brand loyalty) keeps sales steady (968). As we all know, a generic substitute for a
branded item is nearly always less expensive.
How many times in your own shopping excursions have you picked a more
expensive, branded product because “We’ve always bought Tide.”? This is a counterintuitive act and
ultimately against our best interests.
It’s human nature to avoid change and stick with what we know. Comforted by routine, consumers gladly pay
the extra cost.
The rise of the brand through
effective marketing and advertising has had a profound effect on what we
purchase and ultimately how we live our lives.
Klein presents a stark reality in which advertisers prey on basic human
needs and instincts in pursuit of the bottom line. The ploy to separate the shopper from their
money regardless of product quality and actual consumer need has been
incalculably effective. The post product
age is all about promoting an idealized image of a modern lifestyle. Marketers and the multinational conglomerates
they represent have seen great success at influencing public opinions and
trends. Consumers are buying what
they’re selling. In short, they win.
