How Brands Bring People Together

I’m sure you’ve noticed that teenage girls create cliques according to many things; one of those things is usually clothes, or appearance. And brands have a big part of how people look. Wearing the latest Nike clothes and shoes? That makes you a jock. Wearing the latest Candies clothes and shoes? Rich girl. Wearing Vans shoes? Punk.

Check out the Influx blog that has a map of how people are connected to brands. People that are connected to brands are also connected to other people through those brands. It’s like a clique on paper. Influx has been working on a project called SharedEgg, and the map can be seen at http://sharedeggg.blogspot.com/. The map isn’t a typical map – it looks like one of those things you could draw with a Spyrograph toy. (Remember those? You drew cool, precise images with those round blue gear-looking things?) Anyway, this map shows how one person is connected to many brands and other people are connected to those same brands, which means that those other people are connected to all the other people who like a certain brand.

Brands unite people when consumers create groups dedicated to not buying a brand as well.
I know one group of people who met online because of their disdain for Walmart. I myself don’t shop at Walmart, although I used to until I heard about a white woman who was turned down for promotions and raises while the white men around her with less seniority were promoted over her. I’m sure you’ve seen Walmart having to defend itself on shows like 20/20. What with its low wages overseas and undercutting prices on suppliers. Anyway, my point is that brands bring people together even if it’s not in the brand’s best interest.

That just goes to show you that brands really are about what consumers think, and not what the companies think. You already knew that, but you say “Companies can influence what people think of their brand.” That’s only true to a certain point – if you’re surrounded by people who prefer Adidas to Nike, you aren’t going to be caught dead wearing Nike kicks. 

Brands give people something in common and can make for a great ice breaker. “Oh, you have an iPod or a Mac? Don’t you just love the clickwheel…” Apple people definitely unite behind that brand, as evidenced by the Apple commercials as well. And now PC people are joining in. Although, the PC people aren’t quite as brand oriented – they’re not saying “I’m a Dell” or “I’m an HP.” It’s just PC people against Mac people.

The Apple commercials with the two guys that represent a Mac and a PC have been around for quite some time, which goes to show the popularity of people thinking of themselves as the brand and aligning themselves with a brand. And is that so bad if it brings people together? I don’t think so.