Those timeless double-breasted Brooks Brothers converse in hushed tones, their lean torsos recline gracefully on the crisp white linen banquette. Every detail of their elegant appearance is meticulous, and absolutely nothing is remarkable. The Brothers give a subtle acknowledgment in your direction, but your attention has already been diverted by the more demonstrative and sexy Benetton who, with elbow precariously balanced on a mantle, is feverishly debating the flamboyant and totally pc Body Shop. Her waist-length blonde Rasta hair tied by a thick hair knot at the back of her head, she stands arms akimbo, quite a stunning sight in African tribal robes and bejeweled, bare feet.
Body Shop struts back and forth in front of Benetton, thrusting her head back confidently, very arrogant. Their two voices spiral up, dominating the room: Body Shop's booming yet proper British accent jousts rhythmically with Benetton's passionate streetwise Italian, since neither waits for the other to complete a thought. This tires you as you eavesdrop. Nike, their mutual pal, bobs up and down shouting impatiently to both of them to “Just do it!” You quickly realize that not one of this trio makes much sense, and, somewhat bored, you turn just in time to see that the casual, cool, khaki-clad Tiger Woods1 has sauntered into the party arm-in-arm with none other than Barbie (recent breast reduction duly noted), all dolled up in Ralph Lauren haute couture, amidst a swarm of paparazzi. Now this is a photo op that's sure to sell truckloads of papers!
Whether you're conscious of it or not, you're perpetually in attendance at this fantasy party—we all are. We're exposed to hundreds of brands every day in packaging, advertising, and on products, and we feel our lives become just a little more exciting when the brands' glamour rubs off on us. It's totally Hollywood, a complete manipulation. We know it, and we just love it: Brands R Us.

How Could We Let This Happen?
Clubs, families, and religions have provided identity and a sense of acceptance for the human race since the beginning of history. We've simply traded in the old brands for newer, flashier, more convenient ones. We've quit the country club and joined Polo by Ralph Lauren. The disenchantment in the nuclear family as well as many religions in the America of the 1960s (along with fraternities, sororities, cults, secret societies, clubs) allowed the new phenomena of brands to fill a void, to take root and flourish. This sounds simply appalling, and yet, in a way, it's a very positive evolutionary step. Many cultures, democracies in particular, have encouraged individuality in the twentieth century. And so individuals have incorporated into their lifestyles many different means of self-expression in the form of hairstyles, handwriting, jewelry, clothing, etc. Brands are responding to this by supplying products that, when adopted by the individual “say” to friends, family, and passersby, “This is who I am. This is what I stand for.” In contrast, the cultures of the Orthodox Moslems or Hasidim, for example, dictate a lifestyle code in order to honor God's will and overtly subjugate free will.
Brands provide, through their products, a lopsided and fallacious sense of belonging (e.g., Members Only, Club Med, Izod), with no dues, no initiation rites, no rules and no obligations (except the literal “buy in”). You're automatically accepted, and you can drop out anytime you like with no repercussions! Can you beat that? And the brand relates to your lifestyle; ergo, the brand has relevance to you. The brand identity provides you with identity. That's the promise the brand makes, and it's a promise it must keep or lose your business. It's a very one-sided deal, not at all the same agreement you make with your club, family, cult, or religion, all of which require a certain degree of effort, commitment, and closeness in exchange for the rewards of belonging. In Judaism and Catholicism, for instance, you must perform certain rituals, study certain writings, and embrace certain beliefs. In turn, you receive salvation, a benefit that is only realized in your afterlife. There's a hefty penalty for dropping out: e.g., if you leave Judaism, as far as other Jews are concerned, you “die,” figuratively speaking. If you leave Catholicism, your punishment is that you are sent to hell, but only after you die, literally speaking.
In a fast-paced society, it's hard to find the time or energy for serious study (all that reading—and no pictures!). In an age where your lifestyle concerns are increasingly global, brands may allow you a way to take back some control of your future.

This article is an excerpt from DESIGN ISSUES by D.K. Holland, published
by Allworth Press and Communication Arts.
It can be ordered from the publisher by calling 1-800-491-2808, or by
visiting the Allworth Press Web site at www.allworth.com