# Do you feel brand names should be used in literature? And why?



## Sjonak (Jul 22, 2013)

I'm opposed to the use of brand names in *fiction*, or more accurately expressed, find it off-putting. 

Take Burger King for a random example(as a commercial is currently playing on my TV), when you hear burger king, you think hunger, hamburgers, haunting bobble-head king mascots, the small paper crowns they used(?) to give out when you were a child. Can mention of brand really not deter or distract one from nuance and subtle effects a writer toiled to express when the intended advertised rush of thoughts ad agencies try to induce hit you with one mention of a brand?

One exception I've found is the use of brands in American Psycho, it seemed to be created to annoy the reader to some extent, feel inferior to the main character for wearing cloth of less notoriety. It worked in this book because constant mention, and importance associated with brand names seems psychotic. How often can you mention brand without being seen as psychotic in a sense.

If you are for using brand name in literature: what do you feel is the importance of using a real brand name as opposed to a fictional brand?


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## Omi (Jul 22, 2013)

I don't mind brand names at all. I think they can add depth and realism and they are a part of our daily life. They can tell you something interesting, make you ask questions, or just be a little fun and silly if you're going for that. A slice of normalcy in an unfamiliar landscape.

 Take us to the far future and show us the Starbucks in the Whirpool Galaxy filled with aliens ordering coffee. Show us the military starships made by J Crew (how'd that happen?). A misguided post-apocalyptic scavenger find the ancient ruins of a Burger King, declares _himself _the Burger King and sets up a Burger Kingdom. The perfect assassin locks and loads his Smith and Wesson Sigma. An obese werewolf goes through a panic when he finds that due to his new canine blood, he can't have chocolate like Reese's Cups, Snickers or Hershey's Bars. 

Additionally, I'd rather see a character go to a Burger King than a Hamburger Baron. I find it annoying when people try to remind me of brand names without using brand names.

And some brand names have become generic names for different products. Band-Aids and Jello for instance. 

If I need them, I use brand names.


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## J Anfinson (Jul 22, 2013)

I agree with Omi to an extent. Making up parody names is just cheesy, IMO, and in some cases brand names are practically unavoidable. I mean, you can't keep calling your MC's car "his car/his vehicle" over and over. The reader is going to be curious what they drive, and in some cases it can add to their characterization. Like if they drive a Lamborghini; not just anyone would own one. Now, on the other side of this, I don't like to give out free advertisement. They're not paying me, so I'm not going to write about how awesome that car is. It's only there for my purposes and the readers. I'm not just talking about cars either, that goes for anything.


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## dale (Jul 22, 2013)

i use them when i think it's relevant to character. like the brand of vehicle a person drives can say a bit about their personality.
the brand of alcoholic beverage they drink can work the same way. it's not that i'm trying to advertise for the brand or anything, though.


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## Robert_S (Jul 22, 2013)

The chief reason I don't use brand names is because I'm not advertising for anyone. That's not my job. 
Secondly, there may be legal/civil issues with trademarks and ownerships.


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## Skodt (Jul 22, 2013)

I write fantasy most of the time. It's not hard to never run into this problem. The only two books I wrote in the real world were so odd that this never came up.


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## Terry D (Jul 22, 2013)

The use of brand names can add verssimilatude to a work, but care must be taken as to how that brand is used. For instance, your characters may meet at a Burger King for lunch, and you might even say one had a Whipper. No one is going to have an issue with that. But, if one of your characters dies of e-choli after eating there, the King may take you to court.

Also,  contrary to what some believe, you do not need to include the ® trademark symbol when brand names are used in fiction. Non-fiction is another matter...


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## Gamer_2k4 (Jul 22, 2013)

I never liked brand names in fiction.  To me, it shatters the illusion that I'm reading about a world distinct from my own.


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## DPVP (Jul 23, 2013)

i think it adds a level of realism. also what someone owns or carries tells your something about that person.


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## dale (Jul 23, 2013)

Skodt said:


> I write fantasy most of the time. It's not hard to never run into this problem. The only two books I wrote in the real world were so odd that this never came up.



yeah. it's kind of hard to picture conan the barbarian or rand al'thor sipping a coca cola.


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## popsprocket (Jul 23, 2013)

Eh.

I don't like it. Most of the time.

Yes, there are appropriate uses. Cars being one of them. But for the most part I don't think it really adds anything to the story. If you're using brand name clothing or similar to try and add depth to a character then you probably aren't writing them clearly enough. You also have to be careful with what brand names you use. The big ones are usually fine, but smaller, obscure, or local brands might be lost on some readers and then it becomes confusing.


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## Tiamat (Jul 23, 2013)

This is a question I've never really thought about before, but as I think back in some of my work, I've mentioned Burger King, McDonald's, Chevy Monte Carlos, Honda Accords, Newport cigarettes, Heineken, and probably more that I can't really remember.  Here's my thinking on that, though.  First, I agree with dale about how the car can give insight into the character's personality.  For my fellow smokers out there, so can the brand of cancer sticks one favors.

Basically, I think that such details matter if they're advancing your story or your character.  If it's important for the character to eat a Big Mac, by all means tell us what he's eating.  If he's just grabbing a hamburger on the way to his next plot point, who cares what kind of hamburger it is?  But I'd say that's true for all details, not just with regards to brand names.  If we need to know that Jack is wearing an Armani suit, great.  If we need to know that his tie is lavender and that his shoes are so shiny he can see his own reflection in them, awesome.  If we need to know that he styled his hair a certain way or got a manicure or that he's wearing Cool Water cologne or that he's wearing his lucky boxers (made by Ralph Lauren, of course), cool.  By all means, if all those details (including the brand names) are important for us to know, include them.  If it's only important that we know he's dressed up because he has a meeting with a big shot client that he kind of has a thing for, then just tell us that.

I always tend to look at prose as a need-to-know thing.  After all, I know all the answers, but how much do I really need to tell my reader before they get too bogged down by details that don't matter?  That's really all you should be worry about, not that you might be giving some corporation a plug in your story.

Funnily enough, I can't think of a single time I went out and bought a specific product just because it was mentioned in the book I'm reading and I simply had to have it.  But maybe that's just me.


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## luckyscars (Jul 23, 2013)

OP: Why is it off putting?

Listed, I don't like advertisement or product placement either. But I cannot think of a single example where the use of product names in literature does this. For the most part when brand names are used they are simply to add detail or, as in Psycho's case, to parody consumer culture. But off putting? I don't think so.


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## Sam (Jul 23, 2013)

How on earth is it advertising? Maybe if the character says, "I love Burger King! You should drop in to your nearest one for a cheeseburger and fries. Only $3.99!" 

_That's _advertising. Having a character eat in one? Yeah, right. So that means having a character wield a 9mm Browning automatic is advertising; having him hail a taxi in New York City is advertising; having him wearing DuPont Kevlar is advertising; having him take a specific bus is advertising. 

It isn't. Advertisements follow a basic formula: They demonstrate their product, establish a desire in the consumer's mind, and then illustrate how their product will solve that desire. "Are you tired of being overweight? Having no energy? Being unable to walk because of severe pain? Then Sam's miracle fat-loss dietary supplement may be just the thing you need! Guaranteed to burn fat without any of that soul-destroying exercise! Get yours today for the low-low price of ninety-nine dollars!" 

Do your characters do any of that? If the answer is no, they aren't advertising _anything. _​


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## Jeko (Jul 23, 2013)

In all forms of art (including books, films, paintings, songs) the presence of a recognizable brand helps the consumer to connect the piece of art to the world they live in. I would never find it off-putting. I find it comforting, and occasionally exciting, to be reminded that these strange characters I read about live in the same world as me.


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## Sandy (Jul 23, 2013)

Tiamat said:


> I always tend to look at prose as a need-to-know thing.  After all, I know all the answers, but how much do I really need to tell my reader before they get too bogged down by details that don't matter?  That's really all you should be worry about, not that you might be giving some corporation a plug in your story.



That's really nicely summarized.  I agree on the general context of brand names and sure do on whether they influence what I might buy.  And if using a brand name supports and enhances the brand's market positioning, I'm sure the company won't mind either!


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## Gamer_2k4 (Jul 23, 2013)

Tiamat said:


> Funnily enough, I can't think of a single time I went out and bought a specific product just because it was mentioned in the book I'm reading and I simply had to have it.  But maybe that's just me.



Advertising works on a subtler level than that.  You never think, "I remember that commercial advertising Coca-Cola, so I'll go out and buy some!" Instead, it's the exposure to advertising that makes you choose Coke over Pepsi when you're thirsty, without even giving it a second thought.

So yes, listing a specific product in a book does serve an advertising purpose, even if that's not the intent of the author.


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## Deleted member 49710 (Jul 23, 2013)

Certain brands are markers of class or group identification, sometimes of political conviction or personality. It's part of how we evaluate people at a glance. So it's not a very profound characterization, but sometimes it can allow you to sketch out a minor character very quickly. If I tell you Julianne carries a big Bottega Veneta bag and drives a Prius, that's a lot of information. Of course, it's fairly culturally specific information--if my reader doesn't know those brands, they don't get anything. So one has to choose carefully.


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## Myers (Jul 23, 2013)

Gamer_2k4 said:


> Advertising works on a subtler level than that.  You never think, "I remember that commercial advertising Coca-Cola, so I'll go out and buy some!" Instead, it's the exposure to advertising that makes you choose Coke over Pepsi when you're thirsty, without even giving it a second thought.
> 
> So yes, listing a specific product in a book does serve an advertising purpose, even if that's not the intent of the author.



The brands you would likely mention are ubiquitous and well established in the minds of consumers and in the culture. That’s why you’d include them in the first place. And they’re usually products that inspire a lot of brand loyalty. Like Coke and Pepsi. These would be advertisers who’ve made countless impressions on readers over a lifetime before they get around to reading your book. One additional impression in a piece of fiction would be a drop in the ocean. So I'm not going to leave out a brand name over concerns that I'm somehow going to influence the purchasing decisions of a comparatively infinitesimal number of consumers. Not if it serves my story. I think that’s the point Tiamat was making.


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## OurJud (Jul 23, 2013)

I can't say I've given it much thought, but must admit now that I'm forced to address it, I tend to think like the OP Sjonak and avoid them. I too would find them off-putting and think they're unnecessary.

Having said that, I think it very much depends on the genre you're writing. If, for instance, you were writing a present day thriller and absolutely couldn't avoid mentioning the brand of a mobile/cell phone, it would seem odd if you made up a fictitious brand rather than just using a known one. A fictitious one would only make your reader question why you'd said "Hanai" instead of "Nokia", making them wonder if there was some legal reason.

_But_, if your story is fantasy, sci-fi, or set in the future, then fictitious brand names make perfect sense - more so even than real ones.


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## Terry D (Jul 23, 2013)

Nathan stopped typing and walked to the refrigerator. As the door swung open and the cool air cascaded down over his bare feet he realized just how hot the small room was getting. After a few moments of indecision he passed on the last Corona on the shelf and grabbed a diet Pepsi instead. After all it was only ten o'clock in the morning.

Nathan stopped typing and walked to the refrigerator. As the door swung open and the cool air cascaded down over his bare feet he realized just how hot the small room was getting. After a few moments of indecision he passed on the last beer on the shelf and grabbed a diet cola instead. After all it was only ten o'clock in the morning.

The first passage above reads far more smoothly than the second and there are only two words changed. Now I could get by with swapping 'beer' for 'Corona' because people say "I'm going to have a beer," all of the time. The reader is used to hearing that. I don't know anybody who says "I'm going to have a cola." Other designations for soft drinks are very regional. Here in the Midwest I can call it a 'can of pop', but other parts of the country call it a 'soda', or a 'coke'. Using the wrong word for the reader's experience is a speed-bump I don't want in the flow of my narrative. Using the brand name cuts through all of that.


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## Sintalion (Jul 23, 2013)

I enjoy name drops about historical and geographical locations, so if a character names a brand I enjoy that as well. Can brands date your novel? Yes, of course, but there's nothing wrong with that. 

My only problem: 
If they're trying to be authentic then it better be correct. I really hate when writers strive for authenticity, then reference something that doesn't exist in the location (a Boston college student gets her groceries from a chain of west coast stores and eats Thai food in the North End) or is wrong about the brand (Old Spice breeds puppies that smell like a man). 

I never go out of my way to name a brand unless I have to. But maybe my character is overseas and scared to try new food- so she sits in at a McDonald's. In my state, those of who own a North Face jacket or fleece, tend to just refer to it as a North Face. I have three different North Face pieces- but I refer to them all the same way: Grab your North Face; gonna be a cold one tonight. I'm glad I brought my North Face to practice because it poured. 
If I disliked that, yeah, I could always sub in a specific term. It depends on the character and story, I suppose.


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## Myers (Jul 23, 2013)

Terry D said:


> Nathan stopped typing and walked to the refrigerator. As the door swung open and the cool air cascaded down over his bare feet he realized just how hot the small room was getting. After a few moments of indecision he passed on the last Corona on the shelf and grabbed a diet Pepsi instead. After all it was only ten o'clock in the morning.
> 
> Nathan stopped typing and walked to the refrigerator. As the door swung open and the cool air cascaded down over his bare feet he realized just how hot the small room was getting. After a few moments of indecision he passed on the last beer on the shelf and grabbed a diet cola instead. After all it was only ten o'clock in the morning.
> 
> The first passage above reads far more smoothly than the second and there are only two words changed. Now I could get by with swapping 'beer' for 'Corona' because people say "I'm going to have a beer," all of the time. The reader is used to hearing that. I don't know anybody who says "I'm going to have a cola." Other designations for soft drinks are very regional. Here in the Midwest I can call it a 'can of pop', but other parts of the country call it a 'soda', or a 'coke'. Using the wrong word for the reader's experience is a speed-bump I don't want in the flow of my narrative. Using the brand name cuts through all of that.



This sums up the rational nicely and just about mirrors something I have posted in the Workshop. In the scene, two characters order drinks in bar. It's not the kind of place you'd order a boutique beer or even an import, so one of them orders a Bud. The other character has a commitment and doesn't want to drink alcohol, so he decides to order a Pepsi. It just seems natural to me, and I can't come up with a good reason why I'd want to do it any other way.


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## tabasco5 (Jul 23, 2013)

If you plan on selling millions and millions of books, shop your use of brand names around--maybe you can get paid for the advertising.  On another similar note, try and do everything you can to get sued by these brands, it will only help your book sell in the long run.


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## Kyle R (Jul 23, 2013)

I guess it depends what you're going for.

For me, I try to write with a vagueness and a lack of specificity so that my characters could be in any city, driving any brand of car, drinking any brand of soda. I want my story to translate equally no matter who is reading it (as best I can, at least). Sometimes you can't help what amount of basic knowledge a reader brings to the table. But I try to avoid bringing anything extra that would require insider awareness.

Too many times I've read brand names or song names or movie references or technical jargon that I had no clue about, and it took me out of the story. I think there's less risk of that with generic descriptions.

Tell me the characters are on a passenger jet and move on. I don't need to know they are on a ATR-42-300, especially if I have no idea what that is. "What is that? A trampoline? Some sort of tractor??" Don't tell me the wheels of her Delsey Helium X'Pert Lite 4 rolled across the tile, just tell me the wheels of her _luggage bag_ rolled across the floor.

It may seem like I'm exaggerating to make a point, but I'm not. Some authors do exactly that, down to the point of giving the name-brand of the jet's engines:

_"He was sitting all alone in the enormous cabin of a *Falcon 2000EX* corporate jet as it bounced its way through turbulence. In the background, the dual *Pratt & Whitney* engines hummed evenly." - Dan Brown

_Take away the bolded name brands and I would have understood the passage fine.

I understand the goal, the increase of realism. I can appreciate it on the rare occasion. Sometimes, if the brand name is relevant to the character or story somehow, I enjoy it. But mostly I'm not a fan of such specificity.

I don't really _dislike_ it, I just think it's, in general, not necessary, and sometimes more confusing than helpful, especially if the author doesn't do an adequate enough job explaining what the items are.

In today's communication-rich world, there's a high likelihood your story will be read by people living in different countries, different cultures. So you also have to take into account the specificity of your items.

Living in Hawaii, if I were to say my character ate a _Zippy's Loco Moco_, anyone in the islands would instantly know what that is and what it tastes like.

But if someone from Canada were to read that, and they had never been to Hawaii before, they likely would be left scratching their head in confusion.

(It's a local dish with white rice, hamburger steak, brown gravy, and scrambled eggs. )


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## Blade (Jul 23, 2013)

Great post. One point in particular cries out for curbing brand names.



KyleColorado said:


> In today's communication-rich world, there's a high likelihood your story will be read by people living in different countries, different cultures. So you also have to take into account the specificity of your items.
> 
> Living in Hawaii, if I were to say my character ate aC, anyone in the islands would instantly know what that is and what it tastes like.
> 
> But if someone from Canada were to read that, and they had never been to Hawaii before, they likely would be left scratching their head in confusion.


Very true. By being so local and specific you run both the risk of confusion as well as being dated and thus obscure to even a local audience. Who knows if* .*_Zippy's Loco Moco is going to be around in ten years?_:icon_compress:


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## Sam (Jul 23, 2013)

Blade said:


> Great post. One point in particular cries out for curbing brand names.
> 
> 
> Very true. By being so local and specific you run both the risk of confusion as well as being dated and thus obscure to even a local audience. Who knows if* .*_Zippy's Loco Moco is going to be around in ten years?_:icon_compress:



That's the reason my novels are set to a specific year. It doesn't matter if anything goes out of business.


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## Govinda (Jul 23, 2013)

Like anything, I think it depends on context, is it meaningful to the story.  One read where it stuck out and pulled me out of the story was in Robert Sawyer's _Neanderthal Parallax_ series.  So many uniquely Canadian product brands were mentioned for seemingly no reason other than to reinforce in the mind of the reader that the story was taking place in The Great White North and not in the U.S.  More than once I found myself thinking, "Ok!  Canada!  I get it already!"


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## Blade (Jul 23, 2013)

Sam said:


> That's the reason my novels are set to a specific year. It doesn't matter if anything goes out of business.


:sunny: Yes, that would be it. I am basically a short story and poetry writer who eavesdrops on novelists so I had not thought of that. Good idea. 



Wreybies said:


> So many uniquely Canadian product brands were mentioned for seemingly no reason other than to reinforce in the mind of the reader that the story was taking place in The Great White North and not in the U.S.  More than once I found myself thinking, "Ok!  Canada!  I get it already!"


I hear you, it pays to be subtle. If the reader is interested it will be noted with a reference or two, if they are not repetition will only prove annoying.:hopelessness:


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## Tettsuo (Jul 23, 2013)

I've read a few books that "name drop" and it felt cheesy to me.  It appeared to be the author's short-hand for relaying who the character is.


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## Jeko (Jul 23, 2013)

> Who knows if .Zippy's Loco Moco is going to be around in ten years?



Including such a reference can give your reader a sense of place and time they are unfamiliar with, making your work have historical relevance. They'll read your novel and be like "Hey - Cadbury used to make _chocolate?_"


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## voltigeur (Jul 23, 2013)

I think the biggest risk of using brand names is dating your work. If you want it to be literature you risk dating the work to a point that future readers will not relate.  (In my mind literature being something still read 50 to 70 years from now)  

Whether it is contemporary fiction or literature I think brand names should only be used if they show the fabric of the time. Example in the late 70’s Chanel #5 was a statement of high class. So if a story is set in that time you are making a bolder statement than just saying perfume.  A story set in 2013 and Chanel is used by an older woman makes a statement of her style and class. 

It has risk but many times it shows things about the character without having to explain it.


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## Sjonak (Jul 23, 2013)

The responses have been very revealing to me. Some of the support for brand usage seems to be in acceptance of stigma as reality, which may be effective in some scenarios.

Do those in support of brand involvment feel the need to further explain why a person drives a mercedes when it's incongrous to their character, or would you avoid using a brand name when incongrous, to avoid elaboration and/or confusion?

Thank you for the very thoughtful responses! I almost feel greedy for questioning, after the great responses/opinions.


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## Kevin (Jul 24, 2013)

Sjonak said:


> Do those in support of brand involvment feel the need to further explain why a person drives a mercedes when it's incongrous to their character, or would you avoid using a brand name when incongrous, to avoid elaboration and/or confusion?
> 
> .


 There'd have to be a reason for everything. And logical consequence seems part and parcel for a readable story. Elaboration would be a vehicle(no pun intended) to add to the character.


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## Tiamat (Jul 24, 2013)

Gamer_2k4 said:
			
		

> Advertising works on a subtler level than that.  You never think, "I  remember that commercial advertising Coca-Cola, so I'll go out and buy  some!" Instead, it's the exposure to advertising that makes you choose  Coke over Pepsi when you're thirsty, without even giving it a second  thought.


Yes, I realize that, but it seems awful stick-up-the-butt-ish to deny yourself the ability to use brand names to bring your story to life (if that's the kind of story you're writing) just because someone, somewhere might go buy a frickin' Pepsi.  I look at it this way:  The car I drive has the Hyundai symbol on the front and back.  The sweat pants I'm wearing right now have the traditional Adidas three-stripe theme down the sides of each leg and the logo on the front of the thigh.  My shoes have the Sketchers S emblazoned in bright pink on the front and the side.  The socks I'm wearing right now say No Boundaries across the top of the toes.  Any time you buy something and wear it (or drive it or smoke it or eat it) you're a walking advertisement.  Why do all that but refuse to write it down?

I see Kyle's point about keeping it general so readers from across the globe can appreciate it, and if that's your goal, more power to you.  But if your goal _is_ to date it and give it a specific setting, I see no reason why your characters, who live in Pittsburgh, can't eat at Primanti's while wearing their Penguins jerseys.  

That's all I'm saying.



> Do those in support of brand involvment feel the need to further explain  why a person drives a mercedes when it's incongrous to their character,  or would you avoid using a brand name when incongrous, to avoid  elaboration and/or confusion?


I'm gonna have to go back to my need-to-know point.  If your character makes minimum wage and he drives a Mercedes, as a reader, I'd want to know why.  Maybe it was a gift in his grandfather's will.  Maybe he stole.  Maybe he saved every penny he earned from the day he turned sixteen to buy his dream car.  Or, on the other hand, maybe it's not at all important why he drives a Mercedes or even for us to know what kind of car he drives at all.  That's up to you, as the writer.


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## luckyscars (Jul 24, 2013)

Gamer_2k4 said:


> Advertising works on a subtler level than that.  You never think, "I remember that commercial advertising Coca-Cola, so I'll go out and buy some!" Instead, it's the exposure to advertising that makes you choose Coke over Pepsi when you're thirsty, without even giving it a second thought.
> 
> So yes, listing a specific product in a book does serve an advertising purpose, even if that's not the intent of the author.



Nonsense. You might just as well say mentioning cars in a book causes people to buy a car, or mentioning swords makes people want to buy a sword. It's language. That's all it is.

Most people (and I accept there are always the demented among us) are intelligent enough not to be that suggestible. The whole reason corporations spend uberbucks on advertising is because it just ISN'T easy to get people to buy things. Now yes, there is such thing as the subconscious and at one time product placement was a hot potato, but you know why they kind of quit doing it? Because it just didn't work that well. And it irritated people. Those are not symptoms advertising seeks.

Now you could argue on a very basic level there might be something to it: If I am naturally impressionable and I smoke and the cigarettes I smoke are Marlboro, but then I read about and really love a character who is specifically and repeatedly cited as smoking Camels, then yes, I might (MIGHT) happen to switch to camels instead if I wanted to somehow emulate him/her. But I am not going to go out and buy a Buick because the car in a chase happens to be a Buick. Not going to happen.

In any case, I'd argue what's important is not the product placement itself but the effect it has. In writing I find the general rule of thumb to be that detail is usually a good thing. That's all a brand name is, a detail.


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## Jeko (Jul 24, 2013)

> Nonsense. You might just as well say mentioning cars in a book causes people to buy a car, or mentioning swords makes people want to buy a sword. It's language. That's all it is.



Not nonsense; the general exposure to something gradually increases awareness or interest in it. Advertising isn't that basic - it's knowing about them, being interested in them, which can lead to purchasing an item or subscribing to a service if that is the ultimate course of action the person could take. It's not immediate - only by walking by a particular clothes shop a hundred times did I slowly become more interested in going inside there. Then it shut. :sad: 

Anyway, my point is that advertising is a lot more intelligent that people who would believe that they are immune to its subtle effects. The mere placement of a brand can introduce or remind a person of its existence, which can affect their future decisions regarding it depending on future exposure to it. It's the same with including a country - if you paint it in a good light, you're advertising it to tourists.


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## OurJud (Jul 24, 2013)

I think it's important to make sure your use of brand names - to give your story some authenticity - doesn't start to sound contrived. If you are constantly mentioning them at every opportunity, you risk your reader thinking, _"Yeah yeah, I get it! You're going for gritty realism."_

Don't do the literature equivalent of Spielberg's in your face product placement.


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## Robdemanc (Jul 24, 2013)

It takes away the idea that I'm reading fiction and places me back in the real world which doesn't always work well.


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## Sam (Jul 24, 2013)

And when your novels are set in the real world, how's that work?


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## Blade (Jul 24, 2013)

Robdemanc said:


> It takes away the idea that I'm reading fiction and places me back in the real world which doesn't always work well.


I can see that. A certain amount of the "content" of fiction is the imaginative side provided by the reader. If someone is using a kitchen cleanser we do not really have to know if it is_ Comet _or _Ajax.

_One of the reasons that many books do not translate well to the screen, in my opinion, is that the reader has already developed a mental image of a particular character or setting which film is almost certain to offend.:suspicion:


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## Greimour (Jul 24, 2013)

I didn't read all replies, so I am limiting this reply to my personal opinion.

As a reader:

I have never found it a problem whena brand name has been written.

As a writer:

I almost never mention brand names. My writing is usually fantasy fiction, so I don't have things like burger king to contend with... I would often limit things to an un-named Tavern or depending on the story an un-named cafe. I would only name them in stories where it seemed significant. Like if I was writing a mystery novel maybe. Or a reporter was meeting a source at a particular place.

For clothing, I would often limit to the color of the garment along with the quality of the cloth... like " a beige silk tunic " as a brief example.


If I wanted to though, in a modern era story, I would have no problem stating a hoodlum to be wearing common brand name. Like in the UK; Nike trainers (sneakers) is not uncommon, so I would have no problem using it in my description.



~Kev


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## luckyscars (Jul 25, 2013)

Cadence said:


> exposure to something gradually increases awareness or interest in it.



coincidentally, that also happens to be the whole point of writing.


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## luckyscars (Jul 25, 2013)

Robdemanc said:


> It takes away the idea that I'm reading fiction and places me back in the real world which doesn't always work well.



Right but the problem is some of us - and i'll venture even most of us - do like our novels to be somewhat realistic. Sure, if you're writing a high fantasy you probably wont want to include references to Snickers. But for the most part, brand names increase the realism of a piece. Sort of like real names do.

Speaking for myself, I set a lot of my stuff in the past real world - typically the early 20th century. So to me it is absolutely important to include that level of detail to gain authenticity. Consider the sentence 'His breath smelled like tobacco and alcohol ' to "His breath smelled like Camels and Courvoisier." The difference is substantial.


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