I have to say, I am one of those suckers who buys by brand name. Whether it’s a can of baked beans (Heinz) or a camera (Canon), I am lured by the power of a brand name.
Just last week, as a Christmas present, I was given a new set of golf clubs for me to choose. Now, to be honest, I really want to be a great golfer, but my experience to date is limited to a quarterly hit down at the local golf club, or the odd hit at the golf range in Sanctuary Cove when I am in the Gold Coast.
I like a lot of things about Golf and I spend a lot of time listening to others tell tales of their experiences or purchases. It seems, everyone has Pings, Callaway or Tailor-Made clubs - and I too want to be just like the pros.
In fairness, Tiger Woods is NIKE sponsored, but NIKE to me means sportswear and runners - not golf.
Putting NIKE with golf diminishes the NIKE brand's value in other areas. I am a strong believer that you cannot be everything to everyone.
However, I did read in a girly magazine the other day that a celebrity preferred Callaways and so I started my research.
Callaways are well recognised as being one of the best set of golf clubs you can buy.
So I head down to the local golf shops and the first person who serves me asks what I would like to look at. I say Callaway golf clubs for women. He looks at me like there is no chance I am about to buy a set of Callaway golf clubs from him, so the amount of effort he puts into serving me is limited. In fairness to him, I am dressed down, have my dog in one hand and mobile phone in the other.
I leave feeling like a total loser that has no ability to communicate what I need to start my new passion of golf.
I walk 2 doors up to another shop and this lovely young man is quick to help me out. He shows me a variety of Callaways and suggests that a certain type is the most forgiving (now, he is talking my language) and they look pretty smart too.
Within minutes, he is watching my swing... tells me it’s not too bad... and has sold me. A few thousand dollars later, I am now the new owner of a set of Callaway Clubs.
Now there were cheaper and some were big name brands, but it was Callaway that stood out amongst my peers and those of whom I talked to.
I not only want to look the part, but I want to be the part - so buying Callaway did fit into this image I had in my mind of me playing off the first tee.
I am a slave to a good brand name and unashamedly I am confident enough to admit it. I don't want to own a brand that people don't think is good, or doesn't stand for quality. Who does?
Well, many are hindered by budget - and I get that.
Some are hindered by not wanting to spend money even though they have it.
Others, like me, just want the best.
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5 comments:
I must admit that I too am a sucker for big brands. There is just something about the sense of security and quality assurance that comes with purchasing a big brand.
Good luck with the Callaways!
All girls do that, include me~~
if we can use our rational thinking, maybe it can help us to save a large sum of money
The power of brands is unquestionable. I know people who will ask you for a ‘kleenex’ instead of a ‘tissue’. Its all about recognition, the image a brand conveys and trust.
Some people go for style over substance and some people are the other way around. But the vest brands usually have both, and thats why they are able to capture our imagination.
This is true that a brand says everything about a product and that people usually want something that is recogonizable. I am also one that goes for the name brand items and I know in the Us, we usually refer to many items by brand not by what it really is.
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