Branding Essay

As a devour population we view as formed deep emotional bonds with our brands, to the extent that they instanter determine who we atomic number 18 and how we atomic number 18 perceived. (Isaksen and rope-maker, 2008). Brands atomic number 18 everywhere we tactile property. They ar simply unavoid open. We wake up in the morning brush our dentition with a brand of toothpaste, work our branded lave, put on several(prenominal) brands of clothes and then eat our branded toast. We simply cannot escape from them. So the questions I pose ar Why do we choose the brands we do? What do our brands say ab stunned us?Brand ersonality refers to the set of world characteristics associated with a brand (Aaker, 1997). When I talk about brand paradigm or brand personality I am basic ally intercommunicate if this brand were a person who would it be? Or else when we buy these brands what do they represent? Our modern culture has become obsessed with brands so what do they mean? If you buy a BMW people will assume you be rich, if you are seen walking around with a pair of Beats you are seen to be cool. Every product we buy or service we use says something about us whether we privation it to or not.Everything comes with an age or has a stigma attached to it. Even the music we listen to and the celebrities we admire control become brands in themselves. Take Kim Kardashian as an example she wasnt comprehend of up until 2007 and now she is one of the most famous women on the planet with business ventures much(prenominal) as perfume, clothing stores, a T. V sharpen and over 16 million followers on Twitter she has entirely made a brand out of herself. Aaker (1997) suggests that the personality traits associated with a brand, such as those associated with an individual, tend to be elatively enduring and distinct.Such as when you hear Mercedes you think luxury, Guinness is tradition and Chanel is elegance. In colleges all across the sphere every student not only has the burden of exams and QCAs just also how they tactile sensation and its the brands they buy that decide this. You will be questioned if youre not wearing the modish Hollister gear or carrying a shiny new iPhone 5. Hollister originated in California in 1922 and is a brand associated with the beach and surfing yet in most schools and colleges it has been glowering into usuality contest of who can have the ost or the best or the newest.Brands are tout ensemble consuming us and its not Just foul up teenagers anymore it is ranging from everyone from untried kids of 5 years old right by adolescents up to adults. Primary school kids are coming home cry because they dont have the latest brand of lunch stroke like their friends and middle aged men are going out buying ridiculously expensive yells and cars Just to stay feeling two-year-old because they believe thats what those brands can offer them. They are willing to net profit for Just a couple more years of feeling young and on trend.This leads into Bhat and Reddy (1998) and their theory of how brands can be utilitarian, symbolic or both. available brands satisfy immediate and practical postulate. Symbolic brands satisfy symbolic needs such as those for self-expression and prestige, and their practical usage Is only incidental (Bhat and Reddy,1998). sight have taken a brand that was originally meant as functional such as clothing, phones and cars and turned them into something so symbolic that they actually covet them. You keep certain clothes for good wear spend hours cleanup position your car and people Jump ore now to save a talling phone than a talling baby.Bhat and Reddy ( 8) were able to prove this theory through different look groups and methods For example, to owners of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, their motorcycle is not Just a mode of transportation. (Bhat and Reddy, 1998). They have said It is an experience, an attitude, a lifestyle, and a vehicle to express who one is (Aaker,1996). Adolescents are influenced the easiest when it comes to symbolic positioning of brands. As cognitive development progresses, adolescents are able to understand the complex ymbolism of brands and their role in defining the self. Chaplin and Roedder-John, 2005) They want everything theyre friends have and are surrounded by images of celebrities showing off the latest fashions and technology. Several brands are even endorsed by the celebrities they look up to. new(a) girls are influenced so easily by the beautiful people on television so wherefore wouldnt they want to buy shampoo that will make their hair look like Cheryl Coles hair or make up that will make them look like Beyonc or even clothes that will make them look like Rihanna.Even teenage boys are seeing images such as David Beckham sprawled across a billboard half naked so why shouldnt they buy Armani boxers to look like him and why shouldnt they want to drive the luxury car brands like soccer players? Companies perpetually aim products at teenagers through different mediums such as television, music, and celebrities. Isaksen and Roper (2008) suggests brands which are placed in popular teenage television programs are likely to benefit from a positive image and be popular among adolescent consumers. Teenagers have become walking brands but t isnt their fault it is what they are surrounded by.In summary brands have completely taken over our lives. Everyone buys into them whether they mean to or not and we can all pretend to hate them yet they are such a spoilt part of our everyday lives there is no escaping them. Companies have realised this and pick out exactly how to market their brands to the different markets so we have to accept them. We are influenced by them in ways we dont even realise. They are part of our society and culture and the fashion of brands is only growing stronger so my final question is which brand are you?