NO LOGO

The first chapter of NO LOGO is divided into three sections. The first one is called ‘The Beginning of the Brand’. In this section Naomi Klein talks about the difference between advertising and branding and how everything started. The first advertisements tried to convince people that a car is better that a wagon or a phone is better than the mail. Back in the old days you used to go to a shopkeeper and buy two scoops of oats. Today you have to choose between different brands, their lifestyle and image. Brandings first task is to put names on generic goods like Quaker Oats, Uncle Ben’s rice, Heinz Pickles, Betty Crocker or Aunt Jemina. Branded products replaced the shopkeepers. The industries also put ‘soul’ in their advertising by associating their products with people’s feelings. With the purchase of KRAFT for $12 billion Philip Morris pushed branding to a new level. Brands were worth more than products.