Question

summarize how superbrands control public life via consumer capatilism with reference to Naomi Klein's No Logo.?

Answer 1

Superbrands have begun to command much control over public life with their highly resonant marketing and advertising campaigns. As per Naomi Klein's No logo it is rightly said that brands are created in the marketing offices rather than at the manufacturing centres. The brand is no more about the quality of its products rather a reflection of what the marketing teams desire the brand to be like. For instance, Nike running sweatshops in Vietnam, spends so little on actual manufacturing and conditions for the workers there in contrast to millions spent on branding. This clearly depicts that there's no dearth of resources, it's just that the brand chooses to invest that in the marketing the brand rather than improving manufacturing conditions.

With the arrival of gen x and gen z, the brands had to find a different narrative that could stick with the new generation because as the baby boomers fell off the spectrum of consumerism brands sufferes an identity crises. So marketing became about advertising the ideals one should strive for in order to be relevant to young adults of today. Therefore, how each brand can add value in building one's identity on a superficial level and help young adults get rid off of their insecurities became a common theme. The ideals of beauty, life, achievement, success, etc have been defined by these brands as per their convenience which help them achieve their targets. These are the notions that questions the morality and ethics of branding - creating an image of ideal for everyone, while disregarding anything that slightly shifts away from this narrative.

Big brands and companies use their size, clout, money to limit the number of choices available to the public – whether through market dominance (e.g., Wal-Mart) or through aggressive invasion of a region (e.g., Mc Donalds). This book also argues that each company's goal is to become the dominant force in its respective field.Corporations, such as Sony or Disney, simply open their own chains of stores, preventing the competition from even putting their products on the shelves.

Brands hold a massive control in public life today not only in terms of jobs they create and conditions they perpetuate, but also in limiting g the choices available and perceptions it feeds to the public