Would a drink from any other brand taste as sweet?

Duane did a post on the cost of living a branded life that got me thinking about what my buying habits may say about me. I am guilty of paying $4.10 for a tall (fancy word for small) no fat (made with skim milk) whatever-flavour-of-the-month latte, extra hot (on cold days) at Starbucks. I am not a regular coffee drinker; I consider it a treat, like ice cream. But, like the true Winnipegger I am (where the W stands for wholesale), my pretentiousness is cheap. I have a Starbucks Visa that rewards me with Starbucks funds every month so half the time I don't pay for those overpriced cups of bean juice. I like Starbucks because every time I go in there I still feel like a kid in a toy store with all my allowance in my back pocket. I hope I never start taking the experience for granted.

Soon I will be a homeowner and I know I'll have to cut back on the experience shopping. Yesterday I checked out the coffee at Macs. They had two basic varieties--breakfast blend and Colombian. The Colombian would have been my pick but it was nearly empty. I picked a flavour shot and got to pump it in myself. Then I poured my own milk. It was actually kind of fun making it all myself. The cost? For the same amount of coffee in a tall Starbucks drink I paid only $1.40. I could buy almost three of those compared to one just up the street at Starbucks. So there you go, Macs was cheaper and it did the job of warming my hands and insides just fine.

I find the idea of branding fascinating. I really admire well branded products because I have an understanding of what goes into building a brand. As a consumer though, I don't think I get too hung up on brands. There are a few I like to support in the same way I am loyal to a favourite sports team but that allegiance usually comes from a personal history I have with the company.

Here are a few brands you can label me with:

Chevy
My dad always drove Chevrolets. He sacrificed his Camero for me when they realized it was awkward to put a baby seat in the back. He had an old green truck for a while that I loved. When we watch a race together we cheer for Chevy teams. I know what everyone says about the American car makers but it would feel very wrong if I tried to become a Honda Civic girl.

McDonald's
I don't eat fast food but if I had no other choice I'd pick McDonald's over any of the other places. My Aunt, who I admire a lot, had a long career with McDonald's working her way up from the store level to Community Relations Rep. As a result, I grew up on McDonald's schwag. I went to the beach with a Ronald McDonald towel, I poured Kool-Aid from a McDonald's pitcher and I happily amused myself for hours with all the Lego sets from McDonald's Happy Meals. When I got my first job in advertising working on the McDonald's account I felt like I was part of a legacy. The job also gave me a lot of respect for the business and how it became successful.

MTS
My friends tease me about how my dad swears by the local phone company. They know he works there but I don't think they know how deeply rooted the company is in our history. My dad started working for MTS when he was 17. It was where he met my mom--the shy, blonde, small town girl who delivered inter-office mail and blushed when he whistled at her. He's worked his way up and around the company a bit and managed to survive the cuts and layoffs. When he retires in three years he will have put in 38 years of service. So yes, I am a little biased, but I think MTS is the best choice in Manitoba for phone, Internet and cable services.

The Bay
My Grandma worked at The Bay office in downtown Winnipeg for years. I remember going down and meeting her for lunch at The Paddlewheel Restaurant with my mom and sister. I remember her proudly introducing us all to the other ladies that worked there. I remember all my Christmas presents being wrapped in Bay boxes. Sears and Eaton's were just department stores, The Bay is family.

Google
I'm adding this one for Vince. About two years ago Vince tried to get me to open a Google account and I refused to give in. I don't remember what finally made me make the switch from MSN and Hotmail to Google and Gmail but today I am almost completely Googlified (Google branding actually does not appreciate the use of their name as a verb. Sorry Google). I use Gmail, Gtalk, Google Picasa, Google Reader, (Google) Blogger, Google Maps, and Google Search. Today, my loyalty to Google is reinforced by the fun Google experience I had last summer. I don't know what I'll do if Vince goes back to work at Microsoft.