NO LOGO

In the Chapter 29, excerpt from No Logo, Naomi Klein discusses the negative effects of brand orientated corporate activity. Peter Schweitzer points out that the products are made in factories, however it's not the product the consumer buys but the brand. Walter Landor expands on this idea when he considers the psychological hold branding has in the mind. "The brand is made in the mind"; it begins to associate with an idea or feeling representing much more to the customer than the non branded products. The shift in corporate priority over the years has resulted in higher concentration in sponsorship, packaging, expansion and advertising. It's no longer about production, "Machines wear out. People die. But, what lives on are the brands" (Hector Liang).

Market driven companies no longer believe they're responsible for their workforce and see production as a chore. The branding status of the company is high priority while the production and producers suffer. Companies such as Vans, Adidas, Gap, General Motors, and IBM have followed Nike's "no limit spending on branding" technique, in turn resorting to "sourcing". These "product free" brands' outsourced production turns to contractors mostly located in third world countries to supply the goods for CHEAP, in turn doubling ad spending. These super brands now own little and sell more. The main shift in production is more about how to produce than where. The orders are placed and passed around from contractor to subcontractor to workers at home,or in factories across the world. These large companies simply claim to be "bargain hunters" and continue to flee the job market. These super brands now own little and sell more.

Designers make up a large part of the marketing and advertising industry. They're work influences consumers brand preference through media. The commercial you saw on tv, was also on the radio, on the giant billboard down the street, on the poster at the bus stop and now in your favorite magazine. Consumers can't escape brands being sold to them in every direction. Branding links associations in the consumers mind between products, logos, and brand names using tricks such as catchy phrases, celebrity spokes models, and eye catching designs. The main goal of these large super brand companies is to become the dominant force in their respective field of business and the best way to accomplish that goal is to have the most and the best advertising. However, these large distributors should make sure to steer clear from false advertising and be sure to create products with quality as well as in quantity. No part of the process should be sacrificed. If a compromise can be made such as in "production outsourcing" and the brand still hold true to it's product so be it. With all the affluent campaigning and advertising consumers withstand on an everyday basis the brand and it's merchandise should always be of "true value": the idea, the lifestyle, and the attitude.