Branding Value

A NYT article on declining brand loyalty for automobile purchases intrigued me.

As the following graphic shows, this has been proceeding since the 80s.

The article claims the change in consumer behavior arose to a change in product quality and new options on the market. Purchasing behavior became focussed on value. I find that difficult to swallow for three reasons. Until recently most of the cars on the road had very little value in terms of economy, maintainability, safety and retention of value. Automobiles did not become homogeneous from the 90s onwards.

Cars have (at least historically) provided a strong personal statement - people very often identify with their car. As probably the most expensive appliance and the second or third most expensive item (after lodging and possibly health), a choice of vehicle is a well considered one.

Branding has increasingly become a dominant factor in sales. The corporate image, name and long running advertising messages have built for many products a form of identity for the brand that sells on its own. One often sees items (clothes, accessory, stationary, etc.) that prominently features brand imagery, though it seems to have no other intrinsic value. This tendency seems to choke off many forms of retail and product diversity. I see the same exact clothing retail venues in the center of cities (and airports) around the world during my frequent business travel. Despite the continually declining price of textiles, accessories and many other consumables - the range of merchandise seems quite uniform and plastered with the same logos. I have expected product quality and utility to diminish to the point that only a giant brand name placard remains.

The decline in diversity of offerings arises due to the intrinsic interest of market dominating concerns to push their leading brands into as many hands as possible. A 'brand franchise' has invested so much into advertising that any further diversification of the products associated with the brand threatens to dilute its value. The example of games comes to mind. American toy and game manufacturers appear to prefer to push the same set of games into every household than introduce new products. Thus, when one approaches the game rack in a retail outlet aimed entirely at mass consumption (e.g. Walmart) - the game selection available has hardly changed in 40 years! (One still sees Scrabble, Sorry!, Clue, Monopoly, etc.) Outside of this sphere of brand stasis, the game market has exploded with an increasingly rich range of products available only as repackaged imports in the U.S..

Anti-competitive practices (e.g. Microsoft successively devouring different sectors of the software industry) result in further declines in diversity, of course. The Microsoft brand has an inevitability for the consumer (the long-standing assumption was without it, one cannot get work done). However, it is doubtful whether monopolists like Microsoft have created brand loyalty by suppressing alternatives.

Similar trends to automobiles exist for other products - for example, for cigarettes. Even in 1994, Marlboro began to discount and respond to loss of established brand identification as a means to dominate a consumer market.

I wonder if brand-based consumption as an esthetic may be on the wane. I cannot hope that consumption patterns themselves have diminished, but perhaps compulsive purchases (of items that deplete, such as soaps, food, feul...) will transition to a more rationalized set of options - perhaps allowing for more diversity and an entry to local suppliers. For large purchases (discretionary items such as consumer electronics, or compulsory ones - for example, a vehicle) more attention to value arise. For the remainder of purchases in the 'habitual consumption' or 'mandatory but gradual accumulation' categories - I can only hope that brand lock-in will wane at this point, as western consumers become aware of their finite means.

This pausing in consideration of 'what should I buy?' could mean better products. Perhaps merely asking that question may result in an unexpected answer: 'Nothing!' Though this doesn't swell 'growth of economies' I would warmly welcome less spending for its own sake!

Jan-May 2009 Reading

Emily Cockayne, Hubbub: Filth, Noise & Stench in England Genre mix: Social History, Anecdotes, Historiography, Historical Phenomenology I found the presentation engaging, dense and well structured. Cockayne provides a glimpse into the 17th and early 18th centuries and how the less pleasant aspects of life felt.

George R. R. Martin, A Game of Thrones Genre mix: Heroic fantasy, Political Thriller, Horror, Celtic Myth, Mystery Martin wrote a vibrant and engaging novel, a pleasing mix of genres featuring a multitude of characters, diverse plot elements and awful adversaries.

A fantasy rendition of a make-believe British Isle around the first half of the fifteenth century (the era of the War of the Roses.) The perspective switches between several protagonsists, each in quite dramatic and interrelated situations. Avarice, the difficulties arising from 'honor,' a sense of destiny and an increasingly nuanced set of conflicts and threats make up the bulk of this novel. Most protagonists play a heroic role, though even the 'antagonists' are engaging and almost admirable. Magic, the most important genre element in Fantasy, plays an 'embellishing' role - in the form of portents and looming strategic threats. At the same time, magic doesn't interfere with most medieval realities (travel, healing, communications) nor especially character development or differentiate between the potential scope of actions of protagonists and secondary characters. This first volume in a series of seven, with 807 pages, will launch the reader into a long and absorbing venture.

Clive Barker, Mister B. Gone Genre mix: Horror, Historical Fiction, Trite Supernatural, Superficial Religion This book is not worth your time to read.

The promising premise attracted me: The book itself is cursed and endangers the reader. Unfortunately Barker breaks this promise. His hell is a modern suburbia and the first person narrator a whining demon with a troubled working class background. The weak beginning trails off to an entirely dissatisfying conclusion. At one time the novel seems to strive to articulate a disturbing idea (amidst nearly incessant attempts to revolt the reader.) The Forces of Heaven and Hell are only interested in Money and Power, not the Fate of Mankind. Hmmm. Without any context or development of these weighty abstractions this only serves as a worthless ornament on a pointless trashy novel.

Mark Haddon, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Genre mix: Young Adult Drama, Mystery, Coming of Age, Alternate Perspective, Autistically Disabled Narrator Many fresh and unique stylistic and story telling elements keep this novel fresh and agreeable from beginning to end.

On the surface, the story has the structure of a mystery tale, told by the detective. The relationship between the first person narrator and his family however are key to the story and the 'realistic' aspects serve mainly to add drama and poignancy to the novel. The narrator has a very limited range of the reactions and sensitivity to human affairs, so in many ways the mystery he must solve is the conditions of his own life. Many devices lurk beneath the surface of the story - for example parallels between the father and the son, especially similarities of problematic behavior between them. These call into question just how different an autistic kid is from people who are cut off from their own feelings, deaden their responses to their life with alchohol, lash out brutally and so on.

Clark Ashton Smith, The End of Story: The Collected Fantasies of Clark Ashton Smith, Vol. 1 Genre mix: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, Mythic Mode The stories vary from fine to sublime. For those who enjoy Dunsany and Jack Vance's The Dying Earth, Smith's lush prose and expansive dramatic scope will please immensely.

This collects Smith's first published short fictional works in chronological order. Though not consistently great, the finer amongst these stories are sublime. Though lacking the editorial finesse and presentation of this fine volume as well as the interesting the end notes, Smith's short stories can be found free of charge at The Eldritch Dark website.

Frederik Pohl, Gateway Genre blend: Science Fiction, Horror, Space Opera, Psychological Thriller A superlative science fiction book. Ignoring the genre elements and narrative devices, the story concerns the shallow people with unbounded desires; the dangers that await them.

Individualism and lottery mentality bring risk takers to Gateway to undertake immensely dangerous jaunts in hope of "rewards." The story proceeds before and after some cataclysmic event that (as is obvious from the beginning of the novel) brought great affluence and success to the protagonist. Both before and after this reward, our unheroic story teller and main character remains deeply unhappy and troubled by his past. Much of the book considers the cause of this unhappiness, often amidst reflection or dread, during a psychotherapeutic treatment. Never considered in the story is whether the cause of dissatisfaction, greed, etc. is total naricism. Though the protagonist seeks redemption, Pohl never directly challenges him (or the reader) to consider whether a higher purpose or values beyond personal desires (or 'love') might be what is really called for. The "Good of Mankind" arises in the story as a cynical joke, though ostensibly the reason for the activity on Gateway. Perhaps this reflects the general disenchantment of the mid 1970s when the novel was written.

Dubious Justice and Scientistic Forensics

I just read a very interesting article on the poor quality standards of forensic evidence developed in the US law enforcement system. I believe this report strikes at the heart of several beliefs that have greatly harmed American society.

First, the entire mythic polarized arrangement of cops and robbers, drummed into our heads by 'entertainment' and news, constantly. The consensus view holds police, especially investigators, to use rational, objective means for the good of society to determine the truth and identify crime. We see that this end justify dubious means.

Second, and more fundamental, we have a faith in a justice system that should arrive at fair decision - one that should be taken as final. Unfortunately, much of the process is a charade: expert witnesses extol the virtues of forensic techniques to juries without any reason to doubt their credibility. Here, a group of scientists have shown that there is reason to doubt, and not all methods should be accepted as evidence. The police system itself mobilizes to defend its questionable behavior.

Third, most fundamental - American society exhibits a dichotomy, much of the prevailing Folk reviling experts, scientists, and overtly rational discourse on the one hand, while at the same time, nurturing a belief that the basic institutions and instruments of power are rational and abide by the rules. What we see is that the mixture of disdain for methodical restraint required for objectivity and fairness does not mix at all well with a mentality that values 'setting faith into action' more than 'pursuing results only according to the modest limits our current methods afford. The result: Justice proceeds without its blindfold, steered by many who have very dubious morality and little restraint. This process however remains invisible and unmentionable, as most folks are deeply invested in the first two beliefs.

I recall the denouement of the OJ Simpson trial. For most white Americans, the verdict was a travesty of justice. For many others the case really called the LAPD to account. Their methods and values clearly showed that the rules of evidence and procedure could be called into doubt. OJ had better lawyers than most. In general, cases using forensic evidence proceed without significant challenge - even where this is due. The important point to note is that there is a divided attitude towards investigative neutrality. Some portions of society are quite comfortable with the above three myths (black and white ethics, objective results, faith-based nature of investigative procedures (as it is taboo to argue with forensics too hard.) Others view the justice system with enormous hostility and suspicion. For them, the opposite myths may apply (the system as irredeemably corrupt, the process as subjective and biased, the investigators themselves suspect and entirely non-credible).

Crimes occur. Investigations follow. Clearly someone did do something, at some time, to someone - that is, there is some truth even if it is hard to piece together. Forensic methods, if properly applied (to our best standards of treatment and interpretation of evidence), can serve as one of the most powerful tools to piece together this truth. While we see problems in the justice system, this is not an either/or question. We must strive to improve our methods and hold the investigators accountable to the highest standards - for they are fallible, the process of interpreting evidence is far from cut and dry, and the investigators themselves may have objectionable motives and operate outside of the law.