Brand Name Clothes Essay -- Business Marketing

Brand Name Clothes Would you choose a friend based solely on their name? Of course not, the idea seems absurd. Is it possible, however, that we might use such a ridiculous method when selecting the type of clothing we wear? In my opinion, many of us do. Throughout my research, I will be testing the hypothesis that college students buy more brand name clothes than generic name clothes. In colleges especially, there seems to be an emphasis on appearances, so many students have a tendency to steer clear of clothing with generic names. Do they believe that generic name clothes are of less quality? This is another question I am hoping to answer through my research. In addition, I would like to determine the accuracy of my assumption that females are more inclined than males to buy brand name clothing. Nevertheless, I am a male yet I still tend to buy more brand name clothes. Regardless of our gender, we all must make decisions about clothing every day, even if the decision is only based on what smells clean. Because of this, I thought it would be interesting to find out the factors involved in the type of clothing we buy in the first place. What brands in particular do most college students prefer? Are we influenced by our family, friends, or the people we see on television? Are there any other reasons why we buy the brands we do such as their price, comfort, or popularity? If students really do buy more brand name clothing, is it because they are of better quality than generic name articles? In order to determine some answers to these questions, I have utilized three different research methods. First, I performed a survey of 20 students who are currently attending the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Our c... ... Feel brand names are of better quality 50% 60% Feel generic names are of better quality 50% 40% Buy these clothing brands: Abercrombie & Fitch 40% 10% Aeropostal 50% 10% American Eagle 60% 50% Banana Republic 20% 20% Gap 30% 10% Pacific Sunwear 10% 10% Ralph Lauren 10% 10% Wal-Mart 10% 30% 9.99 Stock Room 30% 30% Other brand names 60% 90% Other generic names 0% 10% Influenced by: Friends 50% 60% Family 40% 20% Famous People 10% 10% No One 40% 40% Girlfriend 10% 0% Why buy the brands they do: Availability 10% 10% Fit/Comfort 30% 10% Looks 90% 80% Popularity 30% 20% Price 30% 40% Quality 50% 60%