What's in a Brand Name?

Would a product by any other name smell as sweet? What is the difference between a Q-Tip and a cotton swab? A Kleenex and a tissue? A Band-Aid and a bandage? We seem to have some notion of the distinction between 'Brand Name' and 'generic.' Some of us think that they are typically the same but with different labels. And yet some of us see extra value in the product that has a recognizable brand name. So what purpose does branding serve? Why would sellers want to offer Brand names? Why would buyers demand them?

You know that 'Boots n Barkley' chew toy you bought for Fluffy? Do you remember where you got it? I do. You got it from Target. What about that 'Private Selection' roast beef that you had in yesterday's lunch? You got that from Kroger. How do I know that? No, I wasn't digging through your trash. Those are store brands. Target's pet products are branded 'Boots n Barkley' and Kroger's premium line of food is branded 'Private Selection.' Why do Target and Kroger give their generic in-house products brand names? Because it sets them apart. It gives them idenity. It makes them more than commodities. Look in your medicine cabinet. You may think you're stocked up on generics but what you'll really see is the 'Equate' brand from Wal-Mart and perhaps the 'Up and Up' brand from Target. More and more, businesses are branding everything they sell. Branding helps products previously indistinguishable to rise above the clutter to actually have recognition in the consumer's mind.

So, how does branding benefit you--the consumer? Well, you may be the most ardent generic-shopper around, refusing to purchase anything with a proper noun on its label. Yet, I still say that you are attracted to brands. Let me prove it. Are you a Christian? Muslim? Buddhist? Well, those are religious brands. Are you a Democrat or Republican? Those are political brands. Football fan? Which team? Cleveland Browns? Pittsburgh Steelers? Merely football brands. In short, what I am saying is that brands are merely reputations. None of us can ever sort between every available option in a decision, so we often go with what we perceive to have a reputable name. Back to actual purchasing decisions, it may be better to go with Tylenol than with 'Equate' pain reliever, because Tylenol has an established reputation for working effectively. We purchase brand names instead of generics because we have come to rely on those particular brands.

So, back to the original question? Is there really any difference between a 'brand name' and a generic. Well, most of the time, probably not. But are you willing to take that risk? Maybe on cotton swabs and tissues, but on an MP3 player? How about your groceries? I know that I have come to trust certain brands. If I see a new flavor of chips put out by Tostitos, I will be more likely to try it than some generic corn chip brand. Ideally, we'd have all of the time and information necessary to decide between every consumption option presented to us. But, sometimes, we have to simply go with what experience has taught us to be true. Sometimes, we need brands.