The term brand refers to a business and marketing concept that helps people identify a
particular company, product, or individual. (Will Kenton,2021). To me, a brand is also an
identity or characteristics of a company or an individual which is usually known for
something, or a feature that makes them unique.
What these brands are known for, is what pretty much influences my spending decisions. For
example, if I want to buy a car and I want a luxury car, then I might want to buy a Mercedes.
But the indication of this is that I will have to pay more because Mercedes Benz vehicles are
high-end vehicles, and the cost of maintenance could also be high. But if I want something
not too expensive, low fuel consumption, with above average interior aesthetics, durability,
and low maintenance costs, I will be thinking of a Toyota.
If I am thinking of getting a new car, my first choice would be a Toyota, because it ticks
almost all the boxes of what I personally want in a car. The brand promise of Toyota is
quality, durability, and reliability. And true to this promise, the vehicles are durable and
reliable. That is why the brand has a good second-hand value.
I don’t think I have an emotional connection with the brand. However, it’s a brand that has
been tested and trusted.
When considering a purchase, some brands automatically come to my mind. For example,
when it comes to home appliances like TVs, microwaves, refrigerators, etc. the brand that
comes to the top of my mind is a Samsung. They are innovative products that are strong and
reliable.
I have never been one to be impacted or influenced by brand names. I grew up with a single
dad who would not know Gucci from Payless Shoes, he always looked for the best price and
not necessarily quality. For example, he would buy the box wine because it was more volume
than a bottle, better bang for the buck, and as much as it pains me, I think I have turned into
my dad as I get older. To say that a brand impacts my spending choices would only be for
cost. I had to buy a new car a few years back and while I could have gone for luxury and
bought a BMW or Mercedes, I choose a Honda. Its the second Honda I have purchased and in
part because they are dependable, lower maintenance costs and dependable. I have never
owned a BMW or Mercedes, so I can't speak to the dependability of the brand, but I have
friends with them that say the maintenance is expensive and they wish they had not made that
purchase. They opted to have the "brand" and for no other reason than status.
While it's not a "brand" I shop frequently with Chewy (the Amazon of Petfood). Their
mission statement:
"To be the most trusted and convenient destination for pet parents (and partners),
everywhere." (Chewy.Com) is true. What I love about them is the variety of pet products that
I can get at one location, toys, food, treats, meds, and they donate to shelters all the time.
Also, they stand behind their products, if you order something and your pet does not like it,
they will send you a replacement and simply ask that you don't the unused portion of the
product to your local SPCA so you as the customer does not have to return it, and the
replacement product is sent for free, and it always arrives within 1-2 days even during
COVID and when the supply chain was (still is) so broken.
For me, the brand may not matter as much as the company behind it. How do they treat their
customers, their employees and if part of their structure, how they treat their manufacturers. I
work for a B Corp, so it is highly important that all products and people are sourced and
treated ethically. b
A brand to me is not just the name and logo of a product. It also consists of the mission,
values, goals, and culture of a company. We can often look at a brand name and have an
opinion fairly immediately due to personal experience, word of mouth, the news,
advertisements, and many other things. I often look at if products are cruelty free, how they
are made, ingredients if applicable, anything I have heard in recent news, websites that
provide reviews from employees, if it is a small or large business, and business practices.
Currently one of my favorite brands is ¨Ryderwear¨ which is a fitness company that creates
and sells men and women´s clothing tailored to power lifters and body builders, shoes, and
accessories. They are an Australia based company that has been open since 2009 that looks to
provide customers with quality lifting products that do not break down as quickly over time.
The company started out of a garage and has expanded to being global. They encourage
athletes of all shapes and sizes to perform their best with the best quality products. Their
vision was to provide lifters with products that were meant for not just fitness but fashion as
well. This company was the first of their kind to create shoes that catered to deadlift and squat
lifts providing a flat, sock like shoe to really ground yourself going into the lift. The company
also launched an app called PUSHH when Covid impacted the world so that people could still
get into the healthy, active lifestyle from the comfort and safety of their home. The company
has grown from two employees to sixty and works with over 500 influencers and athletes.
When I need new shoes active wear, I always look at Ryderwear first to see what is in stock
and what is on sale. I have not shied away from my favorite lifting shoes for over a year due
to the quality and sustainability of the product.
One of my favorite brands in Apple I use multiple products made by Apple. What resonates
with Apple products to me is the cross-functionality of different products. Such as a mac and
an I phone using the same I cloud can operate seamlessly together. Apple has a promise to
“Think differently” and to produce unique products. I would not consider my brand
relationship with Apple as an emotional one. I do however respect the fact that they value the
consumers privacy. When making a phone purchase or a electronic devise for entertainment
purposes I typically default to Apple products. Mainly because the ease of use and seamless
access to the Apple ap store ecosystem. I’m very excited to experience this semester with all
of you and am very interested in this subject. I am hopeful to learn and apply what I learn to
my profession.
Brand recognition is an integral part of marketing not only products but also people, teams,
etc. I make decisions on products based on price and quality. That makes me less than loyal
when making purchases. Now, when I find a product, I love whether it be clothing, cosmetics,
or groceries, I will always buy what has been tried and true.
One brand that is always a safe bet for me is Neutrogena. They are consistent in their products
and always provide a high-quality product for a price that is more reasonable than the beauty
counter department store brands.
"Neutrogena’s promises to consumers and Earth Neutrogena committed to sustainable starts
with advancing standards for ingredients, packaging, sourcing and social responsibility"
I would not say I have an emotional connection to this brand per se, more I like products I can
count on. So if another brand came to the market and offered me the same products and a
lower price, I might very well jump ship.
When making a purchase, it depends on the product I'm purchasing if I consider my favorite
brand. For example, I will not buy off-brand or store brand condiments, this is something that
I have made the mistake of doing time and time again and am always disappointed in the
quality. For example, I am a HUGE fan of mustard and therefore that will always be French's
Yellow or Gulden's Brown. Not substitutions, not exceptions.
My favourite brand is Nike/Jordan. Regarding the brand itself to me they have combined both
comfort and fashion. I also love to collect Jordan brand shoes, but only the retro Jordan's that
Michael Jordan wore in NBA games specifically. I've been a fan of the them since I was a
child. I remember waiting in line early mornings to get the latest pairs to wear and show off to
my friends at school later that week.
I cannot think or even research and provide a Jordan brand promise, however the tag line
from the early 90's was "I want to be like Mike". This to me meant be legendary and most
importantly I would be able to jump like Michael Jordan. This shoe takes me back to a time
early in my childhood where things were simple, and I did not have much to worry about. The
fashion or aura associated with wearing these shoes brought respect in the fashion sense of
things. I also love the fact that my shoes last for a very long time, and I can wear them almost
for forever because it appears they never go out of style.
When I consider brands, I usually revert to a brand I have experience with. I like to know
what I am getting and not be surprised by the quality or lack thereof. In the matter of shoes to
stay on topic I usually go for Allen Edmonds, Cole Haan, or maybe Johnson & Murphy when
I need to dress up, but for tennis shoes my choice is always Nike or Jordan. I suppose some
old habits die hard........
A brand to me is marketing or other ideas that help people recognize a company or product.
This could be the name, logo or other symbols that distinguish a product from another. When
I think of one of my favorite brands, Nike comes to mind. I have always been a fan of Nike
sneakers and clothing. When making a purchase for sneakers, especially running sneakers, the
brand is highly important to me. When I ran track in college, we were sponsored by Nike so I
became very familiar with their running shoes.
Nike’s brand promise is “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.”
Their brand promise centers around the impact that Nike has in the sports world. b Nike offers
stylist and quality products for those with active lifestyles, so they have always been my go to
and their the first brand I look for when considering a purchase.
That being said, Brand means a product that you preferred to associate yourself and money
with to enjoy, my favorite brands are Burberry clothing and Lexus automobile. I love these
two brands of all because for me I don’t like too many lookalikes out there, so I do find
Burberry clothing to be distinctive amongst others and the design is unique for my preference.
For this discussion I will dive into the automobile one of my favorites. Lexus is my all-time
favorite automobile brand due to its luxurious looks both on interior and exterior, the
durability and dependability are a force to reckon with of the brand. In my opinion I would
call this brand the underdog of luxurious automobile out there. As stated, before the durability
and dependability are why my connection with the brand is phenomenal/preferred compare to
other automobile in the same category, The Lexus brand do not ask for much when it comes
to maintenance, Investment on this brand is worthy, the resale value is amazing and a whole
lot of perks owing this brand vehicle and the less is more really make a lot of sense with this
brand automobile. To me their brand promise Lexus makes is simple. A smooth, stylish, and
luxurious ride for a reasonable price. Lexus always delivers consistently with highest quality
of personalized services this is another I always enjoy bringing in my car for service because
the customer reception and comfort is phenomenal. Lexus brand is one brand I have come to
trust and admire that whenever it comes to mind to change my vehicle Lexus is mine go to for
a vehicle change.
Chewy.Com, N.D. https://www.chewy.com/app/content/about-us
Will, K (September,2021) Brand https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/brand.asp
