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Makster's avatar

Depends entirely on my emotional connection to that brand.

I'm a little bit of a shill when it comes to tech and slapping logos onto things that I enjoy I'd be inclined to purchase or participate in because I enjoyed using their product or service i.e. I saw a jumper with an instagram logo on it and I got it because of that connection (plus it was comfy).

Then again when I see brands such supermarket chains go onto social media to drum up viral posts or images I have the opposite effect i.e. cringe. I'd hate to use the phrase 'as long as it is good' because ANYTHING is good if it's done good enough - that's the definition! However I feel there is a clear separation between how brands should act according to their service such as entertainment or utility

Boomer's avatar

So for you it needs to be authentic and reflect your experience with the brand?

It's interesting when the brand doesn't have a product but they move into merchandising. An Instagram line of clothing could make sense given the platform is about cultivating an image, but what do you think an offline JA presence could be?

Makster's avatar

I think it also depends on the marketing and logo as well.
Like if its a cool looking logo then I'd like a T Shirt of it but if the logo isn't great then I'd be against buying or wearing it i.e. I love the red hot chili peppers but when I went to a show in London and saw official merchandise for £60 a pop but it was a picture of the band or the * logo I passed.

Asian Kung Fu Generation however is a band I love and the T shirts/ merchandise is cool. So I think design goes a long way

Sturmer's avatar

You mean like a World of Warcraft gas station? =)

Rixx Javix's avatar

As a professional brand consultant I talk a lot about authenticity when it comes to brands and brand-extensions. That connection to what the brand stands for, where it came from, and where it is going is critical. This is why sometimes it feels cringy or off-putting when a certain brand jumps the shark into an area it has no connection to. Because it just doesn't fit that brand's story and comes across as "fake".

When it comes to personal connection, like at events, conferences, etc, the connection is a personal one and as long as it is given the proper context - you can get away with a lot of latitude. But those tend to work best when they are spontaneous or limited in scope. The real trick is to understand your brand and what it means to those connected to it, what they expect and how best to continue telling that story - in a manner that continues to build connections in an authentic way.

Boomer's avatar

I should introduce you to one of the faculty heads at my university! He wrote a really interesting book called Authenticity as Performativity on Social Media.

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-12148-7

I like brand extensions that are playable, and the event-based bounties we've run are a fun way to introduce people to Just About. The hard part is designing bounties that are accessible enough to encourage people to try while still presenting a compelling challenge within the thematic context of the event.

greybill's avatar

I once saw a Facebook branded coffee stand at a venue in Munich. It was very weird, as they just had some major bad press days before.

So I'd say it depends on the company, and what that physical representation does for people. (Don't make it a random coffee place - unless it's really good coffee)

Boomer's avatar

Do we even want to know what Facebook-flavoured coffee tastes like? 🫢

Horror and Cats's avatar

Would branded products fall into what you’re saying? Plenty of streamers and creators branch out with mugs, clothes, figurines, and various other physical branded merch. Not like, in a physical store, but I think your chances of seeing someone in an Outside Xbox/Xtra T shirt in the wild at some point in your life are probably greater than your chances of being struck by lighting.

I don’t think it’s that weird… unless the shirt they are wearing is the f*** around and find out horse shirt.

Boomer's avatar

It could be anything really. I'm curious about the digital brands that try to meet their audience out in the real world. With branded products they're selling you an item, but equally it could be something experiential like sponsoring events, fan meetups, competitions, workshops, even exhibitions and installations.

I love the idea of ARGs and this one always springs to mind:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Campaign_timeline_of_Year_Zero

Horror and Cats's avatar

Oh okay I see. In that case I don’t think that’s weird. Brand means business and no matter how digitized the world gets, I think you’ll always find an advantage or at least an expanded audience stepping out into the real world. People are social creatures.

Lanah Tyra's avatar

I think it somehow depends on the identity of the brand. It should be used in a way to approach new customers while still keeping the original identity. Sometimes having a retail shop for something which was online only is a good thing so you can go and touch the products which might then convince you to buy if you were hesitant before. So in this case it would be a proof of quality.

With JA going to events I think it's a great thing. Many people who we would want to see on the platform might be tired of other platforms / social media and not be active enough to catch an online post about JA, but they might find us at an event which they attend knowing it always has quality programs and partnerships.

FirestormGamingTeam's avatar

I'd buy Just About merch as long as it was reasonably priced stuff

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