brand names

[lomagu]

Why do Japanese people like brand names so much? It seems everyone is brand crazy. I guess in general, people like brands, but in Japan even more so. It also seems like Japanese people are very image concious... maybe these are related?

[Spaztick]

Snob appeal. For some reason people in general tend to like a product more if it costs more, however in Japan people want the cost to stay up so the "brand name" thing has a higher value. One good example I saw was when some company was selling an expensive walkman (I wanna say Sony). When they lowered the price, demand actually went DOWN. O_o

[SO_Rennish]

Spaztick wrote:
Snob appeal. For some reason people in general tend to like a product more if it costs more, however in Japan people want the cost to stay up so the "brand name" thing has a higher value. One good example I saw was when some company was selling an expensive walkman (I wanna say Sony). When they lowered the price, demand actually went DOWN. O_o

Exactly. I remember one time when my friend from New York came to visit me. I took him shopping most days with my friends. I remember how they looked at him weird everytime he said "OOH, Sale", and when he took free samples at a sweets shop.