Everything in life is cooler when it has a well-known label. Face it, most are judged by what brands they have on since that is all people have to notice at a first glance.
For instance, it’s all about the socks at KHS. The first thing people notice: Nike or not? Companies can charge at least $10 more for socks that have a “swoosh” on them, which is essentially a check mark. Check, you are now accepted at KHS.
Socks and sneakers aside, students still follow the unnatural pattern of choosing popular brand names when it comes to their taste buds. For example, Coca-Cola was preferred over Pepsi by 65 percent (183/281). However, when put in a situation where they did not know which soda they were drinking, the result was not the same. When students participated in a blind taste test, only six out of 68 students liked Coke better. Some students even announced before they began that they knew which soda was which and said their preference but proceeded to choose differently after the test. It’s safe to assume that the students prefer the brand over the taste of the product.
KHS was a Pepsi-sponsored school until this year. Since the change, students have been seen throwing away their babysitting money on Coke products instead. After KHS’ three-year contract with Pepsi ended last year, the school received bids from two beverage companies: Coke and Pepsi. Although they both offered the school 20 percent commission, Coke was the choice because they offered additional benefits the administration thought would benefit the school. Students now save a quarter every time they want a soda.
Trends have left me wondering whether people genuinely like the product they are buying more than others, or if they pay that little bit of extra money or time for something more popular. For instance, students sport iPods and other Apple products when there are more affordable products they could buy that are just as capable. An 8GB iPod Touch is $229, while a Zune digital media player with 16GB is $160. Both media players have very similar functions including music, video, podcasts, games and more. However, everyone knows an iPod Touch is “cooler.”
Major fast-food chains such as McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, Steak ‘n Shake and Chick-fil-A all have Coke at their restaurants instead of Pepsi. Pepsi is sometimes considered sub-par because it does not have the tradition or glorification of Coke
In the south, you’ll even hear people calling all kinds of soda “Coke” just by default, even though it is a brand name that technically only applies to one type of soda. Coke always wins. And although the inventions of Coke and Pepsi are separated by a mere 12 years, it is a common notion that Coke is older than Pepsi by much more. Their old-fashioned logo and signature glass bottle signify age, and everyone knows to respect their elders.
Coke is superior in all aspects but for me, the brand name and appearance don’t matter. It’s all about the taste.
