Does Anyone Give A Sh*t About Brands Anymore?
If my life was to flash before me like an information superhighway, I imagine it’d go something like this: glowing neon signs would pop up every half-mile or so, screaming words that have resonated with me since I was a youngster. Nike. Reebok. VIBE. Air Jordan. McDonalds. Kodak. The brands that matter to me are brands that mattered to me in my earlier years—but what about today? Do kids still care about Nike? Does the strength of a brand still influence young people’s purchasing decisions? Do the brands we endorse and support still give testament to who we are and what we value, as they used to?
Take VIBE magazine’s current “Greatest Hip-Hop Producer Of All Time” online bracket. It’s elicited relative buzz, with artists like Erykah Badu making mention of it, but it pales heavily in comparison to when the VIBE brand carried serious weight—so serious, in fact, its early 90′s interviews with Tupac Shakur, Suge Knight, Puffy and Notorious B.I.G were said to have ignited the East Coast/West Coast rivalry that some say ultimately ended in the death of the two rappers. Somewhere along the way, the brand lost its potency and its very real (and almost scary) ability to influence and shape opinions.
When FUBU debuted in 1992, urban clothing brands were starting out, making instant impact on the fashion market (Phat Farm was created the same year). FUBU allegedly originally stood for “Five Urban Brothers United” and morphed into “For Us By Us,” catering to its predominate African-American customer base. Almost 20 years later, the original team behind the brand (led by Daymond John) is taking a huge gamble by launching the revamped FB Legacy (available online soon exclusively on DrJays.com). Today’s fashion market is markedly different; nowadays “urban” is sometimes seen as a dirty word and logos are more refined and less visible across shirts and jeans.
“Back in the day there were fashion leaders like FUBU, and kids wore it ’cause it stood for something,” says Curt “C-Boogie” McClintock, formerly of FUBU and currently VP of Sales for Konvict Clothing. “Today brands don’t mean sh*t unless someone hot wears them—like Akon with Konvict. Back in the day there were fashion leaders; today there seems to just be fashion followers. As for me, I’m rockin’ whatever’s clever…a little more champagne for my own damn campaign.”
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i love some brands and will always respect them, especially the ones that have been around for a long time eg nike, reebok, puma, mecca, and will always cop their stuff. but many labels are one hit wonders ie they r here today n gone tommeorow
Brands carry some weight still, urban brands especially. I can’t agree with logo’s becoming more refined across shirts and jeans.Using Ed Hardy as an example, most post 2005 brands the logos have become more over the top.What’s gone out of favor are the overpriced brands and five hundred dollar jeans.There is a brand war going on right now, old brands will fall new brands will emerge in the end.It’s really a free for all right now but,the winners are starting to surface.Examples blac label may replace Avirex. Gino Green Global will be replaced by Crooks & Castles and so on.Brand names cut down on the amount of pure garbage you have to buy to get a decent quality garment.Every garment has a brand name in some way after you purchase under the level of a Phat Farm is it really worth it.
Brands carry some weight still, urban brands especially. I can’t agree with logo’s becoming more refined across shirts and jeans.Using Ed Hardy as an example, most post 2005 brands the logos have become more over the top.What’s gone out of favor are the overpriced brands and five hundred dollar jeans.There is a brand war going on right now, old brands will fall new brands will emerge in the end.It’s really a free for all right now but,the winners are starting to surface.Examples blac label may replace Avirex. Gino Green Global will be replaced by Crooks & Castles and so on.Brand names cut down on the amount of pure garbage you have to buy to get a decent quality garment.Every garment has a brand name in some way after you purchase under the level of a Phat Farm is it really worth it.
+1
well, i kinda disagree for what lmg said. there are some brands like Sean John and RocaWear, are still dominant despite the changing times and I don’t think they’ll be replaced anytime soon. In fact, they’ll be here for a long time. Other brands who came and go (and sometimes came back) sometimes their comeback is way better than others.
Of course, they’re important. How else can one differentiate one from the other. In fact, you’d have to change the theme of your entire blog from lifestyle to entertainment-gossip if it weren’t for brands, isn’t that right??
Brands mean something to me. I was never really old enough to rock Fubu in it’s heyday, and now I only see old men or bums in it…so it’s not a good look for me to be sporting it. But my cousin had a piece by them and it was really good quality. I was surprised and he showed me the difference in quality in that old Fubu piece and the so called “IN” brand Ed Hardy….The fubu piece was made WAY better. I remembered that.
So when I heard they was coming back out with the FB Legacy line, I checked them out…and they done dropped all the )% and Fat Albert stuff. The new line looks hot to me. I’ll rock it in a minute as long as the quality is still there cuz they got a good new look to the new stuff they doing.
I remember buying some Echo pants and them mofo’s fell apart on me. WTF? Literally…so I also remembered that too. Brands still means something..because it’s a stamp on the quality of what you getting in most cases.
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