Was having my morning coffee and news while trying to settle on a topic to tackle today. Was reading a New York Times article about Walmart (do y'all have those down under?) sending it's managers to an 'academy' for compassion training and it quoted one saying "And then you would come back to your market really filled with a lot of company culture that then you became and abassador and a catalyst."
WHISKEY. TANGO. FOXTROT.
That is some serious internalizing of corporate bullshit but it got me to thinking about shooting people and their relationship with branding. Still not sure what angle to approach it from but once I saw your piece I knew I had to do something on the topic.
Personally, I have an antagonistic relationship with brands, there's plenty I detest and refuse to have anything to do with but none that I actually 'love'. There's a few that I've come to expect quality work from but if they don't live up to that they go on the shit list too. Branding with clothes has always baffled me, why would you want to be a walking billboard? I'll cut the logos off before I wear it or I ain't wearing it.
We don't have Walmart here (thankfully) but I'm not at all surprised to read what you wrote here; more hocus pocus I guess, typical stuff.
As for the brands...if it does a job well I'll buy it and use it...but I don't default to designer brands, never have, as I don't often see the value and, like you, am not inclined to wear a shirt emblazoned with the makers name. When I see people who do, I usually think, wanker. I much prefer to work towards being a better person and having a better life than deluding myself that a designer brand can do it for me.