FARK.com: (6722066) The public would not care if 70% of the world's brands disappeared. In other news, ExxonMobile, News Corp, and General Electric make up 70% of the world's brands

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(GOOD)		The public would not care if 70% of the world's brands disappeared. In other news, ExxonMobile, News Corp, and General Electric make up 70% of the world's brands (good.is)		40
		More: Interesting, green business, ikea, residential development, News Corp., company, Groupe Danone, ExxonMobil

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1051 clicks; posted to Business » on 10 Nov 2011 at 5:50 PM | Favorite | share:

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40 Comments (+0 »)

SurfaceTension

2011-11-10 02:53:20 PM

Drop the 'r' from 'brands' changes the headline not one iota.

VictoryCabal

2011-11-10 03:53:08 PM

SurfaceTension: Drop the 'r' from 'brands' changes the headline not one iota.

Dropping the 'nd' from 'brands' would have the same effect.

The_Sponge

2011-11-10 03:55:15 PM

May the Kirkland Signature Brand live forever. Amen.

Calmamity

2011-11-10 04:15:15 PM

I'd prefer it, actually.

I'm all for healthy competition in the market, but does making it out of the toothpaste aisle really need to be a 20 minute ordeal?

Nadie_AZ

2011-11-10 04:31:14 PM

Calmamity: I'd prefer it, actually.

I'm all for healthy competition in the market, but does making it out of the toothpaste aisle really need to be a 20 minute ordeal?

Me, too.

As for choice, we are rushed rushed rushed to decide on so much. It is hard to know what is the right decision and what is the right product and so on. That's not on them, that's just a byproduct of our culture, right now.

I Have The Touch of a Shocked Monkey

2011-11-10 04:54:33 PM

VictoryCabal: SurfaceTension: Drop the 'r' from 'brands' changes the headline not one iota.

Dropping the 'nd' from 'brands' would have the same effect.

If we dropped just the "n", would many people be saddened (minus the families of the minusN's)?

HotIgneous Intruder

2011-11-10 05:57:33 PM

Who needs 18 kinds of toothpaste?

MrEricSir

2011-11-10 06:00:39 PM

Calmamity: I'm all for healthy competition in the market, but does making it out of the toothpaste aisle really need to be a 20 minute ordeal?

As long as they have at least one without SLS, it's fine with me.

/that crap gives me canker sores

droosan

2011-11-10 06:02:25 PM

VictoryCabal: SurfaceTension: Drop the 'r' from 'brands' changes the headline not one iota.

Dropping the 'nd' from 'brands' would have the same effect.

~~Frowns~~ Smiles on your shenanigans:

yafh.com

quoinguy

2011-11-10 06:06:12 PM

I work in an ad agency, so I'm getting a kick out of this...

/Seriously, I do. Sometimes I can sleep with an unblemished conscience. Sometimes not.

Bad_Seed

2011-11-10 06:13:56 PM

Nadie_AZ: As for choice, we are rushed rushed rushed to decide on so much. It is hard to know what is the right decision and what is the right product and so on. That's not on them, that's just a byproduct of our culture, right now.

They're all the same. It's just the labels that differ.

impaler

2011-11-10 06:16:51 PM

Calmamity: I'd prefer it, actually.

I'm all for healthy competition in the market, but does making it out of the toothpaste aisle really need to be a 20 minute ordeal?

Aren't pretty much all toothpastes made by Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson?

Talondel

2011-11-10 06:25:58 PM

Now ask the same people who claim not to care about brands if they buy brand name or generic when at the store. There's a reason you don't rely on survey data alone for marketing (or anything else). What people say they care about and what people actually do with their money are two completely different things.

HotIgneous Intruder

2011-11-10 06:28:12 PM

Now that I think about it, I kind of like a variety of products.
Life would be pretty hellish and Soviet-blockish with only one toothpaste, one beer, one kind of sausage, etc.

Product variety arises out of demand. If they didn't sell them, they wouldn't make them.

HotWingConspiracy

2011-11-10 06:31:04 PM

farkeruk

2011-11-10 06:51:45 PM

Of all the brands surveyed, only 20 percent made a notably positive impact on people's lives. That means for all the millions spent on marketing and ads around the world, most people could care less which company sells them their lunch, television, or car.

People might say that in a survey, but take all the companies products, put them in equal size containers and remove the names of the company and products, but simply describe what the product is and then see how much people care about brands.

Lupine Chemist

2011-11-10 06:52:42 PM

impaler: Calmamity: I'd prefer it, actually.

I'm all for healthy competition in the market, but does making it out of the toothpaste aisle really need to be a 20 minute ordeal?

Aren't pretty much all toothpastes made by Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson?

Colgate-Palmolive would like a word with you. Also, Unilever does pretty much everything P&G does.

Breathe Laugh Twitch

2011-11-10 06:53:55 PM

Headline and article are so full of FAIL.

There is a metric farkton of research coming out now about consumer psychology. One of the most interesting subtopics is the brain's stance on brands. It turns out we think about brands (particularly their logos) using the same neural hardware that we (previously) used to think about religion. Recognizing a brand logo in the aisle lights up the same neurons that once lit up when we saw the marks of our tribe or our gods.

There is also a rational basis for brand loyalty. It takes a lot of effort, investment, and time to build up a brand. Therefore, brand owners are incentivized to protect their brand's reputation as they would any other financial asset. In practice this means they take care not to ship junk. By contrast, a fly-by-night outfit without a brand has no incentive not to rip everyone off and then bolt.

Rodeodoc

2011-11-10 07:01:19 PM

yet if you took them away, consumers would biatch that everything was the same and they had no choice.

jigger

2011-11-10 07:07:11 PM

Rodeodoc: yet if you took them away, consumers would biatch that everything was the same and they had no choice.

This just in, most consumers are fickle and stupid.

BolloxReader

2011-11-10 07:07:22 PM

This points to the problem of consumer surveys. We are conditioned to buy brands. It's not a conscious decision. Some people buy Coke because it is Coke. Others buy Pepsi because it is Pepsi. What the blind taste tests say is meaningless because people buy Coke.

Or to put it another way, would you buy a car if you had no idea who made it? Which would you buy, a Toyota or a Ford? What if the car could have been built by either but you don't know?

Brands are intrinsic to the consumer culture on a level that no survey can capture.

Menace II Sobriety

2011-11-10 07:55:14 PM

As a poor guy who does all my shopping at ALDI or buying store brand stuff anyway, I only care if my booze is brand name.

/will get down with some Trader Joe's wine

natazha

2011-11-10 08:05:44 PM

The two main groups of people in the USA that care about brands: the new rich and people one step up from the poverty line.

"Or to put it another way, would you buy a car if you had no idea who made it? "

If I was able to find reliable information on the vehicle's repair record, yes. Car manufacturers are so intertwined today, that a brand name gives you no information about who really built the car. I own a Dodge-branded Mitsubishi and a Dodge-branded Mercedes. Had a friend that hated all things Japanese. Bought a Ford SHO van. Just about died when he popped the hood and saw YAMAHA on the engine!

And my wife can really tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi, so we buy Cola Oh! Which is a store-brand Coke clone at Freddy's.

tricycleracer

2011-11-10 09:18:55 PM

People love choices but they hate making decisions.

There was some experiment I read about back in college. Something along the lines of handing out coupons at the entrance to a supermarket. One coupon was for 30 cents off only grape jelly. One coupon was for 30 cents off any flavor of jelly. Each shopper only received one of these coupons. They weren't given a choice or told of the other coupon.

More of the grape-only coupons were redeemed than the any coupon. You could have used the wildcard coupon on grape, but people didn't. That would have meant making a decision.

Dear Jerk

2011-11-10 09:41:45 PM

tricycleracer 2011-11-10 09:18:55 PM
~~People~~ Republicans love choices but they hate making decisions.

I kid you not. It's a hallmark of conservatism.

SN1987a goes boom

2011-11-10 10:27:04 PM

VictoryCabal: SurfaceTension: Drop the 'r' from 'brands' changes the headline not one iota.

Dropping the 'nd' from 'brands' would have the same effect.

Dropping the 'b' and 'n' would be a hit in Japan, especially around the Fukishima area.

Loucifer

2011-11-11 01:27:00 AM

Take it from me, I love you!

picturescrazy

2011-11-11 04:34:42 AM

Loucifer: Take it from me, I love you!

[profile.ak.fbcdn.net image 156x157]

Don't call me fat!

TripSixes

2011-11-11 07:11:45 AM

That's MOBIL.

The Cat Who Walks By Herself

2011-11-11 07:57:20 AM

Talondel: Now ask the same people who claim not to care about brands if they buy brand name or generic when at the store.

But if the brand you normally buy isn't there, do you actually care? Or do you just grab a different one?

I think the majority of "brand loyalty" is just habit, a mental shortcut that prevents us from wasting valuable brain processing time on trivial choices. We make one decision early on and never think about it again. That doesn't mean that the we actually place high value on the selection that we made (though that will vary with cost, perception of the item as a status signifier, etc. I suppose).

I mean, sure, I like Diet Coke. I drink it every day. However, if the entire Coca Cola corporation disappeared from the planet tomorrow, would I be more than momentarily vexed? No, because there are plentiful, nearly-identical products out there, and my preference for Coke is based mainly on habit. If that's "loyalty" it's a kind of weird definition.

I don't want to say the idea of "branding" is entirely useless, but I don't really get the kind of mystic power it seems to be assigned in today's business culture.

MugzyBrown

2011-11-11 09:31:00 AM

The Cat Who Walks By Herself: But if the brand you normally buy isn't there, do you actually care? Or do you just grab a different one?

I remember from schoool.. Ketchup and Mayo have the most brand-loyal consumers.

I don't like either, so I don't care!

tricycleracer

2011-11-11 09:47:58 AM

MugzyBrown: The Cat Who Walks By Herself: But if the brand you normally buy isn't there, do you actually care? Or do you just grab a different one?

I remember from schoool.. Ketchup and Mayo have the most brand-loyal consumers.

I don't like either, so I don't care!

They're so simple yet so easy to fark up.

/Heinz motherfarker.
//Don't eat mayo.

BEER_ME_in_CT

2011-11-11 10:11:41 AM

I am brand loyal to 3 things. Coke (pepsi just doesnt taste good) apple(I'm a designer and they just work better) and Samsung (never had a problem with any of their products and their prices are reasonable). As far as most other things, its a gametime decision, most based of price/value. For instance I bought an Ikea kitchen bacause it was 15000 bucks less than the next cheapest. I know the cabinet structures are veneered particle board, but the facings are real wood and they look great. There is ALOT of crap at Ikea though. A LOT.

Beer - if I'm going to have 1, it will be an expensive high alc content micro. If I'm going to drink 30, I will buy the cheapest shiat I can find. No brand loyalty whatsoever.

Cars - what looks the best(and wont break down once a week) for my available cash. No brand loyalty whatsoever.

I agree with the responsibility point though, I stopped buying gas at several stations due to politics and environmental concerns. Exxon because I hate em, BP because they suck, and Citgo because they are owned by an oppressive dictator and his nation state.

the_geek

2011-11-11 10:24:27 AM

BEER_ME_in_CT: I agree with the responsibility point though, I stopped buying gas at several stations due to politics and environmental concerns. Exxon because I hate em, BP because they suck, and Citgo because they are owned by an oppressive dictator and his nation state.

You're only hurting local small businesses. The fuel all gets pooled together at the distribution centers so there's literally no difference between one or the other.. and you're likely buying fuel that came from all three of those companies each time you fill up.

atomic-age

2011-11-11 11:13:39 AM

Dear Jerk: tricycleracer 2011-11-10 09:18:55 PM
People Republicans love choices but they hate making decisions.

I kid you not. It's a hallmark of conservatism.

I believe you. I work in a fairly conservative town. The people who are the worst about making up their minds are people who are politically hardcore conservative. Wives of city commission members, wives of bankers, etc. These people literally complain about having too many choices. I'm a super salesperson, so long as folks are sane.

With some people, I have to curb my exuberance and bring them only two items. Stodgy fools. Choice is a wonderful thing. Buying a purse is fun, but only if you have the flexibility to choose for yourself. Many people don't.

Myria

2011-11-11 11:16:30 AM

Brands matter to me when there actually is a difference.

I don't notice a meaningful difference between Kleenex or any other tissue brand, so I buy the store generic.

I don't like Pepsi nearly as much as Coke. Generic macaroni and cheese doesn't taste as good as Kraft's. In these cases I actually do care, and will go buy the brand product when possible.

atomic-age

2011-11-11 12:04:29 PM

BEER_ME_in_CT: I am brand loyal to 3 things. Coke (pepsi just doesnt taste good) apple(I'm a designer and they just work better) and Samsung (never had a problem with any of their products and their prices are reasonable). As far as most other things, its a gametime decision, most based of price/value. For instance I bought an Ikea kitchen bacause it was 15000 bucks less than the next cheapest. I know the cabinet structures are veneered particle board, but the facings are real wood and they look great. There is ALOT of crap at Ikea though. A LOT.

Beer - if I'm going to have 1, it will be an expensive high alc content micro. If I'm going to drink 30, I will buy the cheapest shiat I can find. No brand loyalty whatsoever.

Cars - what looks the best(and wont break down once a week) for my available cash. No brand loyalty whatsoever.

I agree with the responsibility point though, I stopped buying gas at several stations due to politics and environmental concerns. Exxon because I hate em, BP because they suck, and Citgo because they are owned by an oppressive dictator and his nation state.

Apple. Subaru. Coke.

Brands I won't buy: Proctor and Gamble, Sprint, AT&T. I won't shop at Wal-Mart.

Myria

2011-11-11 01:15:58 PM

Certain brands disgust me for political reasons, too, and I refuse to buy them or shop at them.

Wal-Mart for being a monopsony. Chick-Fil-A for being a strongly conservative religious company(*) and being closed on Sunday. Verizon for its customer "service". Campbell's soup for the anticompetitive way stores are required to shelve their products.

* I'm OK with In-N-Out because it's less flaunted and Mormons are less bad than Southern Baptists. And I don't care about "John 3:16" on the bottom of drink cups.

colithian

2011-11-11 05:50:41 PM

Really? I thought that was Unilever, Nestle, and ConAgra that made up 70% of the world's brands.

Somaticasual

2011-11-12 06:22:29 PM

Can we use this as a call to bring back the "boxed like military rations" generic aisle that used to be in every grocery store?

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