Brand affiliations and you

[Capetan Mihali]

The Apple thread got me thinking.... what brands do you identify yourself with?

There's a constant pressure from advertising to identify your existence with certain consumer product lines, and even if you do your best to separate yourself from it, it seems unavoidable to do so to some extent.

Off the top of my head, I see myself affiliated with Noxzema shaving cream, Gillette razors, Winston cigarettes, Vintage seltzer. 

The beer market at least in the US is a forest of brand affiliations.  I know I'll always choose Miller beer over Bud or Coors, in lite beers, for whatever reason.  And Piels over Schaefer or Pabst, in cheap beer.  Becks over anything comparable in imported.  The taste of it means something, but not everything.

Always stuck with Speed Stick deodorant after a foray into Old Spice country.    Mostly get generic supermarket items, but I have a loyalty to Jarlsberg cheese, name-brand Pine-Sol for cleaning supplies, and Aquafresh toothpaste.

[Strix]

I don't usually limit myself to brands anymore. I just look for certain items or styles. Sometimes that limits what brand I might buy but other times it doesn't.

For example, I used to like a particular type of black boot made by Timberland. They stopped making it but Columbia made something similar so I switched.

[MadImmortalMan]

[HisMajestyBOB]

I tend to buy Aquafresh toothpaste and Old Spice deodorant (I think that's it. The red one). I prefer Coca-Cola to Pepsi, but I almost never drink soda anymore.

I really don't have any other brand affiliations; I'll buy whatever is cheapest, often generic brands. I own a Mac, but I don't really identify with Apple; the last 3 things I bought from Apple were an iBook in 2004, my current MacBook Pro in 2007, and a Mac OSX upgrade in 2008. Oh, and I got an iPod as a gift in '05. I don't like Safari, and I use the OS X partition less often these days.

EDIT: Actually, I think I'm more likely to hate brands than like them. I dislike Pepsi, Budweiser, Miller, Gateway (before they died), Walmart....

[sbr]

For my general everyday beer drinking needs I stick to Anheuser-Busch products; I was born in St. Louis and AB has employed a few family members over the years.  I do enjoy a lot of the local microbrews and indulge in them when I am looking to just have one or two.

I really like Carhartt jeans when I am looking for work jeans.  They are more durable and the double knee is a life saver; I am an electrician and do a lot of crawling around under desks and things.  They are more expensive but I have found that I spend less in the long run buying the more expensive product.  I am not partial to any of their other products, though I do have a pair of their overalls.

I can't think of too many other things I buy anymore based purely on brand name, it is mostly a financial decision now days.

[Eddie Teach]

Mountain Dew
Jif peanut butter(the other brands are too oily)

Mostly buy generics cause the name brands ain't worth the extra dough.

[Grey Fox]

Kraft

[Viking]

Grilstad Trønderfår (Local type of Salami)
PepsiMax
Newcastle Brown Ale


rest is pretty much either whatever brand or made from ingredients.

[Admiral Yi]

Edge shaving gel and Speed Stick deoderant I have stuck with for a long, long time.  Levis jeans, I don't think I've owned a different brand of jeans ever since I came to the land of the Great PX and no longer had to wear I'm a Retard Korean knockoffs.  Been smoking Winstons for a decade or more now, before that it was Camels.  I gave Capetano's generic smokes a try but they're not that much cheaper and they taste like shit.  Used to be a true blue Coke guy but I bought my mom some Pepsi stock so now I'm drinking Pepsi.

[DisturbedPervert]

Maybe Nintendo.  I've had all their consoles except N64 and Gameboy Color and will almost certainly buy their next console and portable.

I like certain beers more than others, but I don't identify with any and buy based on alcohol content, taste, and what's on sale.  Which at home usually meant Sierra Nevada, Pyramid, or Natty Ice.

Don't drink soda unless it's with liquor, then I don't care if it's Pepsi, Coke, RC, or Safeway Select.

Avoid brand name clothes and shoes.

Don't usually notice what brand hygiene products I use.  Although I like Pantene.

[Slargos]

I'm sure there are some, though none that I could name at the moment.

I generally don't get stuck on brands as much as I get periodical repetitive behaviour, for example finding a certain type of ice cream that I like, and buying the same kind until I tire of it or the staff at the local store start chuckling every time I come in. 

I don't really want to count stuff like Gillette or IKEA since there's practically no alternatives to choose from.

[Ed Anger]

Barbasol and Old Spice for the manly stuff

I avoid German cars, pepsi cola and toilet paper and batteries from dollar stores and Big Lots.

[sbr]

Barbasol and Old Spice for the manly stuff

I avoid German cars, pepsi cola and toilet paper and batteries from dollar stores and Big Lots.

You avoid TP completely? 

[Ed Anger]

Barbasol and Old Spice for the manly stuff

I avoid German cars, pepsi cola and toilet paper and batteries from dollar stores and Big Lots.

You avoid TP completely? 

SIGH.

[Josquius]

Nought these days.
I used to but...now I just buy things which look/work good (work good...hmm...) whoever made them.

My parents though I know hate all things Sony after one stereo which was always breaking.