Brand Expands by Naomi Klein Term Paper

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' The author argued, "[t]he effect, if not always the original intent, of advanced branding is to nudge the hosting culture into the background and make the brands the star. It is not to sponsor culture but to be the culture" (160).

The phenomenon of making of the logo as the culture of society can be traced back to the popularity of event sponsorships as a strategy for brand expansion. In an attempt to make people more aware and familiar with their brands and logos, promotional strategies have become more customized to specific demographics and cultures. As a way to reach out to as many people as possible, companies developed event sponsorships that are unique to a community or group, and, as Klein stated, make their brand and logo the "star" of the event rather than the people or event itself. However, once these cultures are 'penetrated' by the logo, they will transform to another kind of culture, a culture that is centered on the logo alone. Festivals are examples of the dominance of brand sponsorship strategies. Before, local festivals are known for their uniqueness and historical significance in the particular locale or community in which it is celebrated. With the invasion of brand and corporate sponsorships, festivals have become merely "aesthetic parades" that advertise the brand or logo, who are incidentally the sponsors of the said event. The history and event's significance get lost along the way, as people are exposed to more brand and logo exposure than the festival or event itself.

The most pervasive type of brand expansion has been the "commodification of humans," as they become the embodiment of brands and logos. In fact, humans have become the 'material' through which logos are carried, advertised, and identified. Klein uses the Nike example to illustrate this high level of brand expansion pervasiveness. As one of the superbrands that exists today, Nike's swoosh logo is a perfect example of how the logo became independent of the products it sells and events that it sponsors.

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Because of its effectiveness and popularity, the swoosh logo can stand for itself, and can represent the Nike brand even without any accompanying material or idea. In fact, the swoosh logo can be used anywhere and anytime, and it can still retain its identity as the Nike brand. Klein describes the Nike brand as an "…inflated Pac-Man, so driven to consume it does so not out of malice but out of jaw-clenching reflex. It is ravenous by nature… Nike has been the leader in branding clothing, it's not surprising that it has also led the way to the brand's final frontier: the branding of flesh" (166).

Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods being branded as Nike endorsers would initially have more power over the logo: their popularity make them appropriate endorsers of the brand. However, as they become strongly associated with the brand, the logo eventually usurps the endorser as well. Michael Jordan, for example, may have left the hard court and retired as a basketball player, but Nike's Air Jordans lived on and the Nike Air logo developed after Jordan's trademark shot continued to dominate the sports apparel market, sports events, and psyche of sports enthusiasts and patrons. It is in Jordan's case that he was 'commodified' by the logo in the end, a pervasive effect of brand expansion that, for Klein, is one of the major detriments of brand dominance and brand culture: it relegates the individual to commodity status, simply becoming a 'means' to an end (i.e., profitability and establishment of brand culture in the society).

Reference

Klein, N. (2000). "The Brand Expands." In No Logo: Taking Aim at the Brand Bullies. Great Britain:….....

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