Do people have too much brand loyalty?

I do remember the whole New Coike debacle. In that case it wasn’t that Coke introduced a new product that created a problem, but they stopped selling Classic Coke. What a mistake.

I have brand loyalty again to Apple was a Apple fan years ago my g4 from the late 90’s is faster than any pc product I still see today (fyi I still own it and now am teaching my 3 year old how to use it). Well when I went to go by a laptop 4 years ago my mother talked me into because windows based were so much cheaper and easier to find more programs for. I decided at the time to go with it but in a short 3½ years the thing died and early death and not ever being happy with it I went out and got the macbook pro with all the bells whistles and upgrades but boy am I happy with it and its speed, I wait for nothing to open. The way I look at the price difference is how many short years I only had my pc laptop and how many long years I typically keep an apple it is well worth the extra $$ to save the agravation and short life span of pc products. I have even opted not to load windows ever on it though they have made that an option now which I think has brought alot of newer people to apple and alot of older poeple who may of switched back to apple.

I believe so, and @creative1 is a prime example. In fact, I notice it most when it comes to Apple in general (iPhone, iMac, iPod, iCaramba!), though it’s also pretty strong amongst Ford and GM owners who would rather buy a car made in Canada or Mexico that has their logo of choice on it than a Toyota or Honda that was built here in the US. Somehow, it’s more American?!

Personally, I am usually brand-neutral, though I admit that I prefer buying from companies that make good, reliable products that are a good value for the money (which is why I drive a Toyota and will probably never buy an Apple product). I generally let my buying decisions be based on technical merit and the company’s reputation.

For instance, SanDisk makes good stuff and the old e280 blew the older iPod Nano (the only other MP3 player that was even close at the time) out of the water at half the price, so I went with the better, cheaper, more reliable product. I also trust their USB Flash drives after having one sit in a snowbank (and later, the resulting mud puddle) for a couple of months and surviving a few trips through the laundry without losing a byte. However, as much as I like and trust SanDisk, I will consider other brands if they offer the same quality. Hell, I was given an iPod Touch that died within a 18 months while my six-year-old e280 is still rocking. I thought it was an upgrade, but the ability to run apps pales in comparison to the ability to power up at all.

Many people are loyal to Microsoft and refuse to try alternatives like Linux or even a non-IE browser like Firefox for no reason that makes sense to me other than brand loyalty. I have also noticed similar behavior amongst cooks/chefs when it comes to their equipment. Same with mechanics who only buy one brand of tool.

At the end of the day though, it’s often more about advertising or basking in past glory than about merit. Many rely on either their reputation or some brainwashing to drum up business and don’t care about what sort of crap they are actually selling as long as the profit margins are fat.

Marketers put a lot of effort and money into creating brand loyalty and perception. I think it varies by product category, and your experience. I don’t have brand loyalty to food products or consumables; my experience with store brands is favorable. Likewise, many clothing items for brand names are made at factories that manufacture store label products. Many of Target’s clothing items are made at factories that make pricier private label items. Walmart has been buying designer styled products and producing them at lower costs.

I insist on Diet Pepsi, but if diet cola isn’t available, than regular Coca Cola. Never regular Pepsi, never Diet Coke. I do like HP in a printer, but ain’t against other brands. I insist on Orville Redenbocker popcorn, Folgers dark roast, Classic Wonder bread, and good old regular Open Pit barbecue sauce. Other than those few, a monitor is a monitor is a monitor. In the case of monitors, my loyalty goes to the cheapest, generally.

Ford is another that I recently saw a something on Hulu.com CNBC Originals called Ford: Rebuilding an American Icon. It goes through how they are making a come back in business. I personally drive a Ford but that was because they came out with the first SUV Hybrid and that was what I wanted and that is what brought me back to Ford as a consumer. Below is the link if anyone is interested in watching the special from CNBC http://www.hulu.com/watch/221956/cnbc-originals-ford-rebuilding-an-american-icon

I feel a deep sense of loyalty to Levi’s jeans, because they hug my ass the best, without being uncomfortable.

Yes, levi’s, but not the muffin toppers.

I was loyal to one brand of toilet paper, until they cut the width down by one-half inch. I attempted to find a replacement, with a bigger width, but the name brand toilet paper is all the same now.

So, in my search for my old bigger width toilet paper, I discovered the store brand at Krogers was still the same wide width as before. I bought a whole case of it and I am satisfied.

I’ve seen people with logos tattooed onto their skin for Christ’s sake. So fuck yes there is too much brand loyalty.

As I was just saying to my son-y the other day. Phillips, I said, go play with the mcdonalds kid next door. Be sure to be back in timex for bed.

Some people certainly do, it’s sad.