Before partaking in the activity in which we kept track of all the blog and logos we saw in one day, I had not realistically understood how much we were bombarded with branding. After watching the Naomi Klein video and keeping track of brands for a day, I was surprised on how many different brands there really were, especially how many I noticed before even leaving my house that morning. I had known for sometime that branding was an idea that was becoming increasingly more important in the process of Globalization and more important to America's youth, but I never guessed how much impact it had on not only our economy and social structure, but the lives of millions of workers across the globe. Some suggest that people should “remove themselves from the presence of brands” and while I'm sure millions of people would like to be able to do this, it becomes the question of how realistic is that idea?
After compiling a list of brands for a day, I recognized that it would be absolutely impossible to remove myself from their presence. Even before leaving my house that morning, I had almost half of the list made just from some of my own items in my bedroom and closet. No matter where I went, or what kind of people I saw that day, there were always logos or brands sticking out, whether it was a backpack, pair of shoes, or a Starbucks cup. Walking to class I saw shoe brands such as Nike,Vans, and Uggs, North Face, Zumiez, and American Apparel jackets, and North Face and Dakine backpacks. When I sat down in class I immediately noticed a whole other set of electronic and school supply brands such as Mac, Iphone, Ipod, Blackberry, 5-Star notebooks, and Bic pens/pencils. These are just a sample of the brands and logos I encountered that day, and the list could go on forever. It sounds like an exaggeration or joke, but I believe that to completely remove yourself from these things you would have to be put out in the middle of the desert or forest, and even then, anything you brought with you would most likely have a label or logo on it.
The years of high school and college are years when the idea of brands is most influential and when we (young adults) are the most bombarded and controlled by big name companies. When I look around the large majority of us all have the same stuff. That is isn't because we just happened to see these items at stores and decided we had to have them. It is because as a generation and culture we are so consumed with the idea that what we wear and what we own will make us who we are, and as cool as everyone else. I too was guilty of this trait when it came to me NEEDING a pair of Uggs, or NEEDING a new North Face this year, just because these were the brands everyone else was wearing, meant I needed the same ones. Everyone likes to claim “I don't care what people think of me” or “I don't follow trends or fashion statements, I just wear what's comfortable and cheap” but that's a lie. If nothing at all had a brand or logo or stereotype attached to it, I think everyone would be lost and all of a sudden not know what to buy or wear, and be looking to others to figure out where to go next. We all want to be seen in a certain way and a big part of accomplishing that, at least for our society and generation is by what you wear and/or advertise. Just like Klein mentioned in the movie, these aren't just simple items or logos, they have turned into ideas about how people live their lives. Starbucks isn't just a company was the example she used, it is now the idea of a hang out spot, were social “cool” people come to hang out. I believe most people understand this idea or branding and the negative effect it has on not only or attitudes and behaviors, but the effect it has on people abroad, it's just that no one knows how to stop or change it. At least for me, I know that I hate being so overcome with brands being thrown in my face 24/7, and I hate knowing how all of my clothes are really made and the conditions these workers are placed, but I have no idea where I would start to challenge these problems, and neither does anyone else.
These ideas of brands and logos tie right in with the idea of social justice and injustice. There is one main thing that has always seemed ironic to me, and even more so now that I have learned much more about this topic. I constantly see advertisement and commercials for different brands, and many of them have recently started adopting strategies in which they make themselves look like the pro-peace, pro-democracy, pro-justice, environmental friendly companies we all want them to be. Many state that a certain percentage of their profit will go to workers in other countries, or starving kids in Africa, saving endangered species or what not, but none of these companies want to recognize that the cause of many of these problems they are supposedly “giving back to”, are related to their business practices. They want to donate money to poor kids in Africa for example, but what about the 10,000 workers they have stuffed in their little factory in Taiwan that are being abused, mistreated and paid sometimes less than a dollar a day. They are not helping anyone or any cause, in reality they are bringing in more money and sales which in turn gives them more need for these workers and factories.
Two youtube videos that I found interesting relating to this topic are below.
The first one is just a cartoon, comical example of Klein's idea that everything is this world is branded and we are constantly surrounded by it, with no way to escape.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p10UE3O8s24&feature=related
This next one is sponsored by the Fair Trade Company which is the biggest company that certifies brands as being socially just. They certify companies who are fair trade oriented and who do not take part in things like overseas, sweat-shops and factories. They are fighting poverty and attempting to generate global change!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVxe1ZKIff0&feature=youtube_gdata
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