I am writing this from Munich, it’s almost Christmas and even the airport is festooned with cut evergreen trees, provisioned with a small ice skating rink and encircled with food shacks plying a dizzying variety of foods from freshly kegged beer to a kaleidoscope of different shades of sausages.
I thought to write on this topic because it struck me as astonishing the premium that people might be inclined to pay for branded goods and how it seems we lose some degree of common-sense when we make an investment in a brand thinking that it means a superior product is being provided.
I’ll apologize in advance if this seems to be a ramble, I’ll attribute that to the Hacker-Pschorr Münchner Hell , apparently a famous Munich beer, that I have never seen anywhere else in the world but which I will tell you right now, is quite tasty! Sure I could have gone for a mainstream brand but why would I do that when I can do something entirely different and perhaps more authentically local.
I left somewhat hurriedly today for Munich, hurried because from East Coast sunrise in the US until the time that I departed for the airport, we were frantically engaged in a variety of back-to-back meetings as we prepare for the launch of an exciting revision of Winshuttle’s renowned SAP transaction automation and querying – Studio. It’s due out in late January and we’re in the final phases of preparedness for a full on market launch. Back to back meetings before a flight are never good if you failed to prepare all your stuff for your departure well in advance.
So I passed through security at the airport and came to the realization that I was not wearing a belt and hadn’t packed one. For the emaciated with pokey out hip bones and well-fitting clothing this is generally not a problem, their hip bones keep their waist bands in place but for we of the more middle aged and portly stature, a belt and possibly even braces, is a must!
With time to spare I trawled the ‘duty free’ stores at the airport in the naïve hope that perhaps I would find a belt for a reasonable price. My search was in vain. Unfortunately the only cheap and effective buys that you can make in the duty free section of the airport tend to be overpriced toiletries.
For belts, expect to pay upwards of £80. That price is astonishing. Astonishing not because of the price in particular but because of the lack of value for money that it represents. I am reminded of this every time I see some luxury brand. I get it, you’re paying for all the advertising, celebrity association, premium availability, limited edition aspects of a given product, but a belt – seriously?
It’s a strip of leather about one to two inches wide by the length associated with your waist. Buckles come in a wide variety of choices as do the finishes of the leather. If you’re a real cheap-skate you will be happy with something that is not leather but you’ll also likely pay a lower price for something in canvas webbing or plastic. But if it has a logo on it, an embossed brand or something associated with one of the luxury brands, get your wallet out.
After visiting probably in the region of five or six premium retailers I despaired. I concluded that I may, have to visit my German customer with my trousers occasionally slipping below my hip bones and having to occasionally yank them up to hold position.
The reality though, is that people really do buy those premium brands and they buy them because of what they stand for in their minds at least, how they want to be viewed and to externally portray some sort of image about who and what they are. Sometimes it is about simply buying into a minimum guarantee of service or quality, sometimes it is a present from someone else. There may be something aesthetic or sentimental even.
You have only to see how proudly Bayern Munich and Chelsea fans wear their branded gear to understand how compelling a brand can be. You would also be amazed at the prices of such branded items; mass produced, colourful, seasonal and of limited use.
Brands create an affinity, affirm and reinforce support and make a statement.
It’s a great situation for the brand and for those who buy into the brand – both sides of the equation are considered winners.
The brand gets the premium price and the buyer buys into some degree of exclusivity. It’s one of the reasons why everyone hates a knock-off product.
For me, form and functionality have to prevail on this occasion, so the belt has to be effective but I am not prepared to pay just any price and I am not going to ‘invest’ in just any old belt. I have requirements, the belt needs to meet those in the detail, not just on the surface, a belt 3 sizes too small will not do! Hopefully we all make our purchases with the same common-sense focus in mind. The lilliputian backpack, tight shoes, un-buttonable blazers and button popping shirts are not for me – some people buy into it but not me!
I’ve bought my fair share of the super cheap and the premium branded belts and I will tell you now, technically there seems to be no difference, except that both the no-name and the branded can have flaws.
For example, leather as sold is not necessarily leather as we all perhaps understand it. There’s a derivative out there called ‘bonded leather’ – technically it is leather but in reality it is reconstituted leather – good for maybe a year’s use but usually of low grade and susceptible to deterioration – separation, breakdown and fraying.
A good tanned leather belt in my opinion; something made with a solid riveted buckle, from good quality leather and treated well by the owner is good for probably ten years or more – whether you still want to own that belt after ten years is another matter but irrespective of the brand, a good real leather product of any sort, made from proper authentic materials should essentially be good for a lifetime.
I’d say curb that brand addiction, don’t buy luxury brands simply because of the brand but that might be a flawed suggestion, instead what I would say is, “buy quality”. Consider that one of the things you’ll get with a premium brand over something nondescript will be some sort of guarantee on quality.
So in the end, perhaps buying a brand is not a terribly awful thing it’s just that for me, my major chain retailer €19.99 leather belt bought in the arrivals hall at Munich Airport will be good enough.
Perhaps you’ve bought something cheap and unbranded and found the quality astonishingly good. Conversely perhaps something disproportionately expensive and branded has disappointed.
No need to name brands but I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.
If you’re a brand slave, tell me, then I’ll know who to hit up next time I am feeling a bit skint.
The original posting of this article was on LinkedIn
Photo via WallpaperFlare via Milton Spencer
About the author
Clinton Jones has experience in international enterprise technology and business process on four continents and has a focus on integrated enterprise business technologies, business change and business transformation. Clinton also serves as a technical consultant on technology and quality management as it relates to data and process management and governance. In past roles, Clinton has worked for Fortune 500 companies and non-profits across the globe.
