45 – 50 years back, I do not remember any fascination for any brands excepting in icecreams and chocolates. Premium executive leather shoes were tailormade by cobblers. Clothes were stitched by tailors, though, for fabric we did have some kind of branding like, for day to day use, there were some particular brands which were economical in price, while there were some which were stiched for special occassions.
More than the brand it was the cobbler or tailor or barber who were more famous in their individual capacity. For clothes it was the shop which was more famous as it was the choice of the shopkeeper which matched your taste.
In many products there were no choice at all, like automobiles where we had two brands and the choice was between the two. This was true in most of the daily use products.
As we grew and started going to college, branded jeans were a new craze. There was a huge market out there where we purchased jeans cloth from one shop, purchased leather label from another with brand name on it and got it stictched from a tailor. More than the product differentiation, identity was created by the leather label on back pocket.
So was with cigarettes where more important was the box you held rather than what cigarettes were actually inside.
More or less similar situation exists now where most of the products have a brand image. In case of most of the products, remove the label and inside is all “Made in China”. Product quality looks same as every other product. That is why we have a similar sized market for faux products as it is the label which commands a premium.
We need brands to shore up our image and brands need celeberities to shore up their image. So is branding all about marketing or is it to depict a uniqueness in functionality.
As far as I am concerned, I assess the purpose. If it is functionality, like clothes, bags, food, shoes, mobiles, kitchen equipments- i go by quality and buy cheapest available.
If I need uniqueness in product- like whiskey, car, medicines, icecreams, spices – I go by brand and do not mind paying a bit premium price.
Yet there are certain products like my favourite ink pens where there is an emotional relationship between me and that product, where there is no image or third party involved- just me and that product. I hold the product and there is a flow of emotions. In such situations I don’t mind spending a fortune too.
finally, I believe, It is better to focus on yourself, so that, on you everything suits and people focus more on your personality rather than getting impressed by the label you carry. Then anything you carry, becomes a brand.