This is what I have a problem with. When a brand becomes more important than the underlying quality and function. One doesn't buy Crest for status, but it is a consistent product of known quality, something that buying a generic brand cannot provide, especially in a mobile society. Doc Martens had me as a customer until their quality started to drop off, even then I used a sharpie to blacken out their signature yellow thread. I am still looking for a quality shoe brand. Sad part is that quality seems to decline with popularity as people sell out their brand name for quick cash.Sometimes all three are made at the same factory, by the same workers, with the same materials.
It might seem like OCD, but I usually cut out the labels that are visible on clothing. I use a seam ripper in the same way that most people remove price tags on clothing. It seems trendy now to have baseball caps with the gold sticker on the bill to show that it is "official". I don't get it, just 5 years ago people wanted dirty old beaten up ball caps.
