Big Bowl of Brand Flakes

Me

I think what frustrates most people about brands and being anti-brand is that there is a certain level of hypocrisy in everyone. Take clothing for example. I personally try to avoid brand name clothing, however that doesn't mean that I completely avoid brands in other aspects of my life. My personal clothing preference is to buy cheap comfortable essentials (plain t-shirts and sweatshirts usually from "cheap" stores or wholesalers). My closet also includes many shirts made by local artists and anything Sharks, Giants, or Niners.  For me individuality is an important quality. That's why I tend to avoid fashion trends and anything "swag",  "in", or "hip".

Judgement and Stereotypes

Whether you like it or not people judge you based on your appearance, on the brands you are wearing, the kind of car you drive, the way you carry yourself. That's why it is important to study, understand, manage, and embrace the stereotypes that are associated with you. Brands are reliant on stereotypes, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, stereotypes exist to help define us in good ways too. We can use stereotypes to our advantage to create a interesting and individual narrative to help advertise yourself.

DJ attire:
 
Hipster Fashion:
 
Anglophile dress code:

Lumberjack uniform:
   
And finally....me.

An Experiment

In one afternoon write down every brand name you consume or use. Whether it is the GQ magazine on your table, the Coke your drinking or the Xbox your playing. Then next to it write down the first word that comes to mind when you think of that brand.
Mine looks like this:
Coke can - Thirsty
GQ Magazine - Men's Fashion (Beyonce was a close 2nd)
Xbox - Bored
MacBook - Work
Honda - Drive
Apple earphones - Sound
etc.

Now imagine you are wearing a suit with all those brands on it, like this guy:

When I realized that there were cheaper alternatives to get my thirst/fashion/boredom/sound/working/driving fix, I truly understood the amazing power of brands. The majority of these brands I only consumed because of the lifestyle and ideals associated with their advertising campaigns.

The most egregious yet understandable of these illogical choices is my recent purchase of a new MacBook.
Reasons for purchase: Designer, Ease of use, Rebellious
Cost: $1,800
Hell there is a Samsung laptop for only 1/3 the cost with almost the exact specs. And yet Apple has done a great job of marketing so I believe Apple products are more reliable, powerful, and cool and I'm willing to pay for that belief.