Response to Georgia’s blog on Thoughts on Marketing

In response to Georgia’s blog on Thoughts on Marketing:  http://jcandpc.blogspot.com/

“Because a brand carries such a loyal community does that mean at the end of the day, they can do no wrong?”

We, as consumers, appear to lose our own ideals and beliefs to accommodate whatever our brands do. But is this on purpose? 

When I see someone wear Nike or Gap, I don’t exactly think of the sweatshops and struggles that both children and workers have to go through in order for us to wear their popular products. To be honest, if someone asked me if I knew what companies of products I use had sweatshops in third world countries, I wouldn’t be able to confidently identify most of them. Although the truths of many major businesses have become public, it is often beyond the common knowledge of many of us, top buying consumers, who are so caught up in our highly commercial culture. 

When I bought my blackberry, I wasn’t exactly thinking about the war in Congo that has physically and emotionally impacted numerous innocent people just so I can have certain minerals for my phone. If I was thinking of this when I was looking to buy a new phone, I’m not sure I would have bought an iPhone or a Blackberry. If I were to buy clothes with the knowledge of the unfairness of sweatshops, I don’t think I would have much of a heart to purchase anything of particular brands. 

It makes me wonder how aware we are ourselves, as consumers, of the ideals behind the brands we support. 

Whose responsibility is this?