At what point does brand loyalty become an illness?

Status
Not open for further replies.
KeithAM

KeithAM

Joined
Dec 15, 2003
Messages
3,154
Being a fan is one thing, but when does it go overboard?

- Instantly attacking someone who complains about a flaw they found in a knife of your favorite brand.

- Claiming "flawless" fit and finish or performance that isn't there.

- Unwillingness to consider the merits of other brands.

- Going into debt to have 10 or more examples of each model.

- Brand tats.

- Your only friends are the people on the brand subforum.

- Spending all of your time on Bladeforums in your favorite maker's subforum.

- Naming your kids after the brand name or founder of your brand.

- Having a knee jerk reaction that this thread is unfair.

What do you think?
 
Last edited:
Right about........now. I dont have loyalties, i do reward certain companies with a purchase if they produce what i want. If they stray, they get the verbal smack down via forums such as this.
 
I think most people have a hard time admitting they may be wrong. It is very important to remain objective about anything and very few people can do that.
 
What bores me is, when someone asks for advice of a knife to buy, there are some fans who will always suggest their fave knife - no matter what the question was. Things like - I'm exaggerating just a little bit:
- "Q: I'm looking for a sub $100 hunting folder. A: Why don't you save up a little and buy a Sebenza"
- "Q: elegant gentlemen folder advice wanted. A: Military of course, plenty elegant enough".
 
Dagon said:
What bores me is, when someone asks for advice of a knife to buy, there are some fans who will always suggest their fave knife - no matter what the question was. Things like - I'm exaggerating just a little bit:
- "Q: I'm looking for a sub $100 hunting folder. A: Why don't you save up a little and buy a Sebenza"
- "Q: elegant gentlemen folder advice wanted. A: Military of course, plenty elegant enough".
Click to expand...

Q: I've narrowed my choices down to brand X or brand Y. Which would you chose? A: Brand Z
 
My little girl Sebbie, and my dog Umnunzaan will be ever so cross with you Keith!
 
You know...there are fanatics everywhere. While it is just as annoying to see someone going overboard, they might as well get out the makeup and paint the Spyderco bug over their face (they are pretty easy to spot, even for a newb like me).

These types are not unique to knives...every other enthusiast forum I have ever frequented has them.

While we are discussing the tells of these types, I might as well share my personal favorites.

1. nebulous description of intangible concepts (i.e. dream-like qualities)
2. dismissal of another person's thoughts based on the conjecture that they either have never owned one, or have not used one long enough to "understand" why it is superior to all others (I have a hard time swallowing that I must pay $600 or more AND carry the thing in my pocket for 6 months in order to conceptualize how it is a better value than my clunker 200 dollar knife).
 
Attacking someone for pointing out something they don't like about one of the brand's knife is one that gets to me. Another is when someone comes in wanting opinions on which of two knives to get, and some fanboy jumps in with their brand of choice's similar knife. Both of those happen pretty often.
 
Q:Which knife for _?

A: (brand) XYZ.


And that is it. No explanation why it fits the OP's needs. No first hand accounts of their own use no pics of their used knives performing related task's.

Even worse (for me) are those who start off with "I don't own one but over on the (brand) XYZ board they say..."
 
Brand loyalty is often not an "illness." Some companies work hard to ensure great customer service and have thus garnered a strong following. Case in point:

On the Spyderco forums (official) people will use the off-topic forum to voice their favorable opinions of other companies' blades. They range from CRK, Kershaw, RAT, etc. I've never felt that I couldn't express any criticism of a Spyderco knife on those forums. If anything, criticism and debate is encouraged. It helps Sal and Co. understand their customers better and users get to share different ideas and opinions.

Just the fact that Spyderco has a dedicated forum is important. Customer interaction is something that is almost extinct in the present. Additionally, a good warranty/service&repair department is another feather in Spyderco's cap. It really boils down to that. If their repair department sucked, they would lose a lot of customers over the long run.

From my experience, knife owners are far more balanced and intelligent than other internet users. I play videogames and even though the median age is now 22 or so, most internet spaces dedicated for videogames are filled with mindless, ignorant, irrational "fanboys." I have not encountered any such equivalent, Thank God!, on any knife forum I've visited.

I will admit that there are examples of brand myopia at times. This mostly comes from new knife owners or younger knife owners. It's understandable to a degree. These people have limited experience with many different knives/companies. Most of the time, these people clearly show their lack of experience and knowledge in the situation that Dagon has shown.

The only real problem is when those users refuse to acknowledge or respect others' legitimate opinions. Thankfully, that is rare in the knife community.
 
KeithAM said:
- Unwillingness to consider the merits of other brands.

- Going into debt to have 10 or more examples of each model.

- Brand tats.

- Your only friends are the people on the brand subforum.

- Naming your kids after the brand name or founder of your brand.
Click to expand...

These ones.

- Instantly attacking someone who complains about a flaw they found in a knife of your favorite brand.

- Claiming "flawless" fit and finish or performance that isn't there.
Click to expand...

And maybe these ones, if you take it too far and not accept given proof.
 
KeithAM said:
Being a fan is one thing, but when does it go overboard?

- Instantly attacking someone who complains about a flaw they found in a knife of your favorite brand.

- Claiming "flawless" fit and finish or performance that isn't there.

- Unwillingness to consider the merits of other brands.

- Going into debt to have 10 or more examples of each model.

- Brand tats.

- Your only friends are the people on the brand subforum.

- Spending all of your time on Bladeforums in your favorite maker's subforum.

- Naming your kids after the brand name or founder of your brand.

- Having a knee jerk reaction that this thread is unfair.

What do you think?
Click to expand...

I think you nailed it, except for the "Brand tats". That's perfectly normal behavior, isn't it? My AMC Pacer tattoo is a work of art.
 
- Always finding excuses for the design flaws. (I often hear "it's meant to to that" even though all people in their right mind will acknowledge it as a design flaw)
 
KeithAM said:
Being a fan is one thing, but when does it go overboard?

- Instantly attacking someone who complains about a flaw they found in a knife of your favorite brand.

What do you think?
Click to expand...

There are a lot of people who act like you just called their mother a slut if you dare say a bad word about their favorite knife.

At that point, it's a sickness:eek:
 
KeithAM said:
Being a fan is one thing, but when does it go overboard?

- Instantly attacking someone who complains about a flaw they found in a knife of your favorite brand.

- Claiming "flawless" fit and finish or performance that isn't there.

- Unwillingness to consider the merits of other brands.

- Going into debt to have 10 or more examples of each model.

- Brand tats.

- Your only friends are the people on the brand subforum.

- Spending all of your time on Bladeforums in your favorite maker's subforum.

- Naming your kids after the brand name or founder of your brand.

- Having a knee jerk reaction that this thread is unfair.

What do you think?
Click to expand...

I think that we are too quick to define other's actions as an 'illness'. All of the points mentioned above fall into the domains of 'enthusiast' and/or 'ignorance', domains which find application in virtually any human endeavor. Personally, I find it encouraging that people can still express a passion about anything and if some dude wants to sport a tattoo of a knife brand, in my books it makes as much sense as any other tattoo.

Unreasoned responses are a fact of life that we all must bear and I have seen no greater or lesser degree of such incidents on this forum site vs. any other. That said, many of your points have merit and we would do well to consider them all before we post. For me, the two most important factors in a post that I look for are courtesy and respect. If the post happens to make sense, I consider it a bonus. ;)
 
I think this thread is already mature enough that I wouldn't have anything new to add. It was well thought out i think, and i enjoyed it for what it is.

I like the following quotes.

udtjim said:
...every knife lives or dies on it's own merits.
Click to expand...

D1omedes said:
...I will admit that there are examples of brand myopia at times. This mostly comes from new knife owners or younger knife owners....
Click to expand...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top