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 secondhand 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 cannot 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. c
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 favourite brands is ¨Ryder wear¨ 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 Ryder wear first to see what is in stock and what
is on sale. I have not shied away from my favourite lifting shoes for over a year due to the quality and
sustainability of the product.
c c c c c One of my favourite 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’m 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.
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
