“Whatperfumesareyouwearing?”“Aren’tyourshoesNike’slatestrelease?”“IliketheMickeybagyouboughtyesterday.”“IheartheJack&Jonesstoreisonsalethisweek.Doyouwannacomealong?”Don’tfeelsurprisedifyouhearthemcomingoutofthemouthofcollegestudents.It’squitecommontohearandseecollegestudentsswappinginformationaboutthebrandstheylikeandtheproductstheyuse.Infact,discussionsaboutbrandnameshavebecomeoneofthecollegestudents’favouritepastimes.Theylearnaboutthelatestfashionfromeachother,exchangetipsaboutwhenandwheretogettheitem,andbuyitattheirearliestconvenience.“KeepingupwiththeJoneses”istheirconviction—“IftheJoneseshaveit,howcouldIhavenot?”Aboutthiscurrentmindsetofthecollegestudents,manypeoplemayhastentoshowtheirdisapproval.They’llprobablytakeittobeareflectionofthestudents’vanityandsuperficiality.Andtheymaylecturethemonthevirtueofbeingthrifty.
However,Ibegtodiffer.Foronething,name-brandproductsareusuallyqualityproducts.Theyaresomethingbeautiful,endurable,andreliable.“Theloveofbeautyiscommontoall,”goestheproverb;therefore,there’snothingtoblameaboutthepursuitoffamousbrands.Fortheother,collegestudentsareoldenoughtomaketheirowndecisions.Likewise,theymustabidebytheconsequencesiftheymakeanill-advisedone.Iftheylettheirpursuitofbrandseatintotheirbudgetforothermoreimportantissues,theyshouldbeabletocorrecttheirmistakesandkeepeverythinginmoderation.Sothisbecomesnootherthanagoodchancetolearnmanagement,isn’tit?
