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Friday was the 4th of July, a special day of meaning
for people in the US,
and a different one for everybody. For most, this day is not associated with the
adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, but more with the country
in general, a day amongst family, a barbecue with fireworks at night, just a
day off or even Will
Smith. For me, quite frankly, it does not mean anything. But this will
come; it was my first 4th of July in the United States.
In many ways you could compare ‘the fourth’ with a great American
brand. They both have a story,
they both evoke strong thoughts
and feelings, they are both celebrated by many Americans. As for my own experience, they both start off
empty and meaningless.
Moving from one continent to another also means moving to an
almost entirely new landscape of brands, leaving behind all that was known and
so convenient. It is an experience that showed me the sheer power of brands. Going
to the supermarket, I did not have any idea what brand to pick over the other, looking
for my own brands in vain. When turning on the TV, I had no preference for any
channel in specific, searching for at least a show that I recognized, like an
ingredient brand that I could trust. Even when selecting the bank that would
protect my hard-earned money, I had to make a choice between unfamiliar names
and logos. Thank god there are global brands,
otherwise I would have been lost!
So until my personal perception could guide me otherwise, I
had to base my decisions on help from others. Therefore, I chose the New York Times
as my news source because of its reputation, Continental as my airline due to referrals
from friends, Ciao Bella for my
Italian indulgence based on online consumer reviews, and some advertising
agency that guided me to Optimum for my
connection to the world.
Fortunately, this brand vertigo will not last long. Our
interaction with brands is constant and you find out quickly what is real and
what is not (although it is disappointing if you are stuck with it for a
two-year contract…). But for all the new
‘Americans’ who still need to catch up, CNBC broadcasted a marathon of Great
American Brands on Independence Day. If you missed it, you’re in luck. The
station repeats it every night, in the early
and late hours. Good thing there’s TiVo. Another great American brand.
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