OUGD401 - Task 3 - Reading and Understanding a Text

Chosen Question: What is the relationship between branding and the consumer self? 

Book: Olins, W. (2003) Wally Ollins: On Brand. London: Thames and Hudson. 

1) Tone of Voice: What is the authors stance on the subject? 

He is excited by and in favour of branding. 

'One upon a time' - quite informal, fairytale beginning, idealistic, reminiscing about the past as a simpler time.

The 'brand' is a glimmer of hope in a murky, unreliable world. 

When his perception on branding changes he seems both fascinated and curious about the way branding is based on the image it creates for us rather than the product it is promoting.

The author embraces this change and finds it exciting. 

He uses very emotive and descriptive language to talk about branding.

2) 5 Key Points from the Text

1 - Branding speaks volumes more about the consumer than the product. Branding used to be used to signify/ promise  certain quality of a product. Now branding acts more to represent our own image as individuals. Branding is used by everyone and is found everywhere.

2 - Branding is 100% controlled by consumers (customers). We choose who rise and who fall.

3 - Branding can have different functions and the same brand can be used by different people for different reasons. 'Nike use powerful all-inclusive emotions to target a worldwide audience.' (Runner- fashion statement + functional) (Average Joe - Wear to show off and prove self) (Poor Window Cleaner - Saves up to buy shoes so he too can own a part of the worlds glamour + fashion. For him the shoes are more symbolic than functional). 

4 - The most successful brands are objective. Brands such as VISA that are purely functional rather than fashionable. 

5 - Brands represent identitty. 

3) 5 Key Quotes from the Text

1 - "The brand was a symbol of consistency." (chapter 1, p14, paragraph 1)

2 - "Brands were created (...) to sell products by creating and projecting colourful but simple ideas clearly, again and again." (p14, paragraph 4)

3 - "This is a unique manifestation of out time. It has never ever happened before." (p15, paragraph 2)

4 - 'Why do we wear clothes with labels on the outside? Why do brands pentrte the entire world regardless of every other defining factor - nation, religion, social or economic grouping, culture?

Why are brands such a clear and unique manifestation of our time? 

Simply because in a world that is bewildering in terms of competitive clamour, in which rational choice has become almost impossible, brands represent clarity, reassurance, consistency, status, membership - everything that enables human beings to help define themselves. Brands represent identity. " (p 27, last 2 paragraphs) 

5 - "There are very few brands, even big ones, where function dominates. Visa, unusually for a brand these days, is more about function than symbolism." (p 17, paragraph 2)