I had always thought brands do not serve any purpose and it is the intrinsic value of the produce bolsters a brand value and never is the case, vice-versa. In this regard, I wanted to read No Logo – Naomi Klein from a long time, but somehow have never got a chance to pick it up and read. I should do it sooner. I came across a no nonsense article describing the fleeting value a brand provides to a company, which made me ping on these thoughts. The author has quoted umpteen numbers of examples, in this

“What have you done for me Lately, Economy” and says it is always the performance of the product that wins and not the brand

This article definitely vindicates my stance that I hold from a couple of years

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.11/brands.html