Monday, September 20, 2010

USDA Prime

Branding livestock is a custom in which the owner of said livestock would grab a long rod that had a symbol or initials at the end of it, heat that particular end up to a very high temperature, and then force that blazing hot rod onto the animal.


This process was done so the owners of the cattle, horses, livestock would be able to identify the animal if something had every happened, and identification would be needed. This was a very effective step in keeping animals as a product, and preventing false claims of ownership. This method is almost completely replaced by ear tagging, but is still used in some parts of the working industry.

A clothing brand, is a group of products that are presented by a company, and often use identification marks on a piece of clothing, that presents itself to other viewing people, letting them know information about your purchasing habits.



Clothing brands can represent certain aspects about the company that they have earned or worked towards over their years of business, things such as dependability, quality, guarantee, honor, fine workmanship, advanced technology, cost efficiency, little things that the people who buy the product can associate with all, or most of that brand's product line.

This is true, right? This is a safe thing to assume? We can feel safe assuming Honda vehicles will last well beyond other car brands, and we can be assured Trojan condoms are more durable than the fifty cent peter jackets you might find in a vending machine at a truck stop.

This is all fine and dandy, when does branding become nothing more than just a brand? How often as people in a free market economy are we substituting real quality and effectiveness for things like status, dignity, and overall price? Is there a meeting point where something just costs too much for what you get? Does the brand you advertise represent more than just a brand? And how are we able to identify people who are using brands and products to do the identifying for them? How do we feel about people who base their entire character by something as shallow as a brand name?


Something Boney M has taught me, is you cannot buy "cool". No matter how much money you have to spend, no matter how many gadgets you have in your pocket, weather you smoke or drink, own a certain kind of sneakers or listen to whatever popular music you listen to, these things do not now, and will never make you "cool". Never, ever. Real cool is inside of you, and can never be bought. And that is something the marketing people don't want you to know.

On that note, wtf is with people wearing shirts and hats with the Monster energy drink on them? Do people actually pay for this shit? Sorry if I'm being money-conscious, but I'm seriously asking, why the fuck would someone wear a food-product emblem on their bodies? Unless there is something particularly awesome about the product (say, a local restaurant, or something classic like a coca-cola), this is just an advertisement. You are a walking billboard to me. What you are saying to me is "I don't have a personality, so after I donated my hard earned money to this company, they sent me a pre-packaged, pre-developed personality. Whenever I see someone with an identical level of dignity, I can give them a high five and talk about how big of fagots we are".



Granted the drink is tasty, and they are major supporter in a lot of extreme sports, this does not justify the need or want to pay someone to advertise for them. It's silly as hell. It's the exact opposite of what should be happening. Brands like this pay other people, particularly athletes, to wear their product, so they can have money to buy more athletic gear and stuff with. That makes sense. What these numbskulls are doing is just... silly.

The verdict is, unless you are a raging douchebag, sponsered, are affiliated with in any way, have nothing else to wear, or just reeeeally feel like supporting the cause: don't wear branded clothing, or you will end up as their property, you will be branded, you will be owned, just like livestock; meat.

22 comments:

  1. "You are a walking billboard to me. "

    So true... people are happy with it. Look around you in the street. Ans at some point it even gets ridiculous, especially when you pay way more than the actual worth of the good, just because the is a brand on it (Vuitton anyone?)

    S!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Interesting read, I really liked the comparison with livingstock!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is it bad that I like to wear t-shirts from webcomics I read?

    I don't mind being a walking billboard for starving, talented artists.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm a walking billboard for companies who products I actually find to be worthwhile. Or you know. funny.

    whichever.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Indeed, if my wardrobe was fully sponsored, I'd wear it in a heartbeat. As it is I'm not gonna pay for the honor of being a billboard. But I do think that politicians should have their largest contributors listed on their suits, like race car drivers.

    ReplyDelete
  6. That was pretty interesting. Can't wait for your next post

    ReplyDelete
  7. very interesting, I can't help buying some brands because truth is they DO last longer than other competing products. Especially when it comes to some clothes. But there is a limit, I would never spend $100 on a shirt because of the name.

    ReplyDelete
  8. @Jemz
    These people buy for status... as if they are trying to present their personality through means other than their actual personality.

    @David
    Nah bro, that's as legit as it gets, especially if you custom make them.

    @Hidden
    And how many professorial athletes do you think get free clothing from their sponsors anyway? I bet they get more in free stuff than my family works for and buys in a years time.

    @Joe
    Truth is truth, before the marketing "brand" boom, what you bought was either quality or not quality, there was little trickery. And that's the point of liking a trustworthy brand, because you feel like the rest of their gear is going to be just as good as the other stuff you've bought. But when, say, a wallet from WalMark will hold your money just as fine as a wallet from the mall with a special logo on it, then what's the point? Is it really worth the extra money so you can show your friends the logo?

    Think of it this way: The next time you buy something, ask yourself, "If I lived in the woods alone, would this logo really matter, or should I buy the cheaper version and spend the savings on something I could actually use?"

    I mean I don't know about you guys, but my family is kind of poor. I go with the cheaper things unless a more expensive product really offers something worth the money.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Glad I found this blog. Following. Thanks for the insight good sir!

    ReplyDelete
  10. ahhh the popped colar, that shit really needs to go away fast

    ReplyDelete
  11. Its tough though I admit, but avoiding branded clothing unless you make your own is like trying to avoid eating branded food... =(

    ReplyDelete
  12. Brands exist to make you think one company's product is essentially different from another's...even if it clearly is not.

    ReplyDelete
  13. yeah, people who wear those monster hats are usually bro kids and giant douchebags

    ReplyDelete
  14. Nice post, I only wear metal Band T's

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love the post.
    SOOO True, having the brand on your clothes its just silly.
    but sometimes the brand looks cool.

    ReplyDelete