The Fake Factor: Why we love brands but buy fakes - Softcover

Sarah McCartney

Softcover

ISBN 10: 190487942X ISBN 13: 9781904879428

Publisher: Cyan Books and Marshall Cavendish, 2005

Synopsis

The complex relationship between expensive brands, such as Coach, Gucci, and Prada, and their knockoff counterparts is examined in this sociological look at high-end branding. Assuming that branding, and the high price that often comes with it, is a guarantee for high quality, this analysis looks not only at what it takes for a brand to become worthy of being copied, but also at why consumers forego quality for brand recognition and even brag about their fake''s lack of credibility. The financial and emotional benefits of fakes for both consumers and fake manufacturers are discussed, as well as what brands can do to entice consumers to buy the real thing. For marketing students, professionals, and those interested in the luxury goods market, this unusual analysis provides a fresh perspective on marketing''s ever-elusive desire to understand what it is that drives consumers to buy what they buy.

About this title

From the Author:

Why is a t-shirt with a brand name on it worth up to 20 times more than one of exactly the same quality with no logo? Or rather, why will people pay that much more for it? In The Fake Factor, you can read all about the reasons, in my words and those of the nice people who helped with the research, why so much extra value is placed on branded goods.
Some people will happily fork out extra cash for recognisable brand names and logos both for the quality and the image. Others aspire to owning them but don't have the money. This creates a huge market (around 10% of word trade) for illegal counterfeiters to flourish. In the West where we have a vast choice of branded and unbranded goods, what makes purchasers pick the illegal ones? Many people question the ethics of knockoffs and refuse to have anything to do with market stall and internet 'bargains' brands, but the majority see them as a bargain, hunt them out and are delighted with the savings they reckon they've made. In the same way that smokers know that smoking can kill them, people who buy fakes know they are illegal, but kid themselves that it doesn't really do any harm. What I've done is to use my experiences as a marketing strategist and a committed shopper to give a reader some business, sociological and personal context; I hope to make people think twice before they buy any branded product, genuine or counterfeit. Even if you don't consider youself to be brand conscious, after reading The Fake Factor you'll probably still find yourself asking a few more questions the next time you visit the supermarket. (That's my heartfelt hope!) The French manufacturers' association consider Highland Spring Water and all others packaged in green, pear shaped, glass bottles to be counterfeits of Perrier. If you get a dressmaker to copy a new Chanel design, is that illegal? How about if you make 50 and sell them to your friends? What about if you sew on a Chanel logo? Even the intellectual property lawyers can't decide. In the US it's legal to import a counterfeit handbag from China - but just the one. In France you could go to prison. Interpol, the anti-counterfeiting groups and anti-terrorist organisations won't make any progress catching the criminals behind counterfeit goods until we all stop buying them. It's down to us to make our own decisions about where to draw the line in the business of copying and counterfeiting other people's work.

The plan is that The Fake Factor will help you to make your mind up where you stand on the issue (particularly if you didn't realise it was an issue in the first place).

Synopsis:

A fascinating analysis of the highly controversial, taboo area of fake brands and what motivates people to buy them. Everyone has their favourite brands, and everyone has bought fakes of them - this book asks why? The book represents an intriguing analysis of the far side of modern-day consumer behaviour. It is full of fascinating anecdotes and stories from the world of fake brands. This books opens up a completely new perspective.It is a wide feature and review coverage expected in business, marketing and cultural media. In the world of fashion and luxury goods, the brand is king. As consumers, we are literally in love with our favourite brands. In fact, this desire to own brands is so strong now that we will even buy fakes to make it happen. A marketing expert examines this extraordinary phenomenon, providing a fascinating insight into how the modern consumer behaves and thinks, and how companies (legal or illegal ones) are responding to that.The brand has become a symbol for quality. When fakes appear on the scene, the quality of goods is inevitably compromised. As a consumer, we know this. But it doesn't deter us from buying fakes.

This book examines the complex relationship that consumers have with brands and comes up with some surprising results. When it comes to buying fakes, money is not the only factor at work. Insecurity ("I have to be in the know"), attitude ("I'm cool"), and sheer rebellion (see the rich celebrities who take pleasure in wearing fake designer clothes) enter into this complex equation.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cyan Books and Marshall Cavendish
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 190487942X
• ISBN 13: 9781904879428
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240