What's New

More In
Life & Money

How to Break Your Brand Loyalty Habit

Savvy Sugar
Posted on November 2, 2011

Read this smart article from Savvy Sugar to see why ditching your favorite brand might be a good idea.

You might favor a particular brand because of nostalgia or because your friends swear by it, but the truth is the generic brands are worth looking at too. Not only are they cheaper, but they usually are of the same quality. Lifehacker advises to treat your brand loyalty as a habit:

“In order to get over brand loyalty you shouldn’t necessarily have, you need to look at it like a bad habit. We’ve discussed ways to break a bad habit, and many of those strategies apply here as well. You’re not trying to kick your fingernail munching issues, but you are attempting to let go of something that brings you comfort through familiarity, and letting go will make you anxious all the same. Here’s what to do.

“First things first, you need to understand how your brand loyalty actually affects you. Perhaps you’re regularly frustrated by the use of a particular product or you’re overpaying for brand-name medicine when you can get the exact same thing for less when you buy a store-brand alternative. Make a list of these problems so you have a concrete example available next time you’re shopping. This may seem a little silly, as you’re basically making a list to remind you not to buy a new Blackberry, Tylenol or whatever else, but that’s because it seems like a silly problem you shouldn’t even have. The thing is, if you’re frustrated or spending too much or having other difficulties because of what you buy, it’s a real problem for you and you’ll be causing yourself more trouble by ignoring it.”

Brand loyalty is founded more out of defending your choices and self image rather than being loyal to a company, says Science Daily. Customers have become so involved in the brand to the point where they become attached to it and associate themselves with the brand. In other words, it’s not really the company or the product that’s inspiring you to be loyal; it’s because you feel so personally linked to it that it’s hard to backtrack.

Are there any particular brands that you stay loyal to?

To read this post in its original form, head over to Savvy Sugar. 

Image credit: Flickr/Sean MacEntee

Posted in: , , , ,
  • http://smartasset.com/ SmartAssetTeam

    Brand loyalty really is a funny thing, and I think you hit the nail on the head in this article.  Brand loyalty is more about a justification of your image than loyalty to a company.  Brands are marketed to feed into your self-image however, so it’s not just in your own head.  I was recently shopping for a gym and really had to think about this issue of branding.  One gym had a much better price and no branding while a second gym had a really aggressive marketing strategy around a hip brand.  It felt cool, and I could feel the temptation, but in the end I made a comparison not based on brands but on facilities and price.  If you can get past the branding to the actual content, a decision is much easier and doesn’t involve anything personal.  

  • http://michievouskitty.blogspot.com Stephanie

    I have to sort of disagree with this.  Brand loyalty isn’t necessarily a matter of defending one’s self image or avoiding having to think too hard about a purchase, although it certainly can be.  It can also be a matter of supporting a company whose values align with yours.  For example, I’ll by Newman-O’s (or Ginger-O’s, so good!!) instead of Oreo’s or Hydrox because I like that the company donates a lot to charity.  Plus, I do actually like the taste of those cookies over the other brands, so I feel like I am getting a superior product but spending just a little more money.

    I’m also trying to make an effort to buy clothing made in the USA more frequently, which is HARD.  ModCloth seems to offer a lot, but it’s hard for me to take that leap of faith that buying clothing online requires.  I did just get a dress from that website, and it fits like a glove, so I’m getting there. ;-)  In the meantime, I am also trying to support brands that use fair labor practices regardless of where the clothing is made.  Again, that’s more about making sure my purchases are in line with my values, and often requires more thought, research and restraint than simply buying the cheapest piece of clothing I can find.

    I’m with @SmartAssetTeam on the gym thing though!  My gym doesn’t have much in the way of branding, but the membership fee is just $10/month.  Bonus: it’s a locally-owned gym rather than a big chain, so again, it aligns with my values of wanting to support local businesses. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/AshleyVictoriaBurton Ashley Burton

    I thought I didn’t but it seems I do…Toyota…Wal-Mart generic products, Dollar Tree.. It seems that in my efforts to save money I have latched onto some products and don’t stop to think..is it cheaper of am I still hooked on a certain brand that I am just getting for less.