Product Branding and Displaying them on YOUR car

[oldguy]

I wanted to see how many of you either like or dislike product branding on the parts you buy.

As an example, valve covers emblazoned with Edelbrock, Moroso, etc. Or shifters with a huge Hurst on the side. Or perhaps even gauges where you stare at the manufacturers name all the time you are driving. The list is endless if you really look at the products on your car. The brands are everywhere.

I think if you buy just a few products and want to brag about the new product you just bought fine, but when you build a custom car almost every part has a manufacturer name an it.

Personally don't like it, however to each their own. Just wondered what others think.

[SLO_Z28]

I could care less what a part looks like, for me its all about performance. If the part performs and is reasonably priced it can be bright pink with names all over it for all I care.

[zombiekiller]

the only time that it bugs me is on valve covers, otherwise i couldn't care less.

[rustomatic]

We're in the age of labels as personality definition. People love labels--just look at all of their awesome tats...

My car says Ford on it, somewhere. Generally, if you don't like what something looks like, you don't buy it, unless it's cheaper...

This site loves labels, as do a great number of the people who ask questions like the following: Should I use the TCI, the Hotchkis, or the Heidt's? When it comes to cars, labels are the business. Feel apologies for the contradiction here...

[andrewb70]

We're in the age of labels as personality definition. People love labels--just look at all of their awesome tats...

My car says Ford on it, somewhere. Generally, if you don't like what something looks like, you don't buy it, unless it's cheaper...

......

The use of branding as a means of personal identification is nothing new. It's roots can be traced back to pre-historic tribes and it directly reflects "in-group" and "out-group" thinking. In cave-man times, the person that displayed too much individualism was cast out and eventually perished, and likely did not have offspring. So our "lizard" brains are wired to identify with a group. It can be racial, nationalistic, sports, brands, the list goes on and on....

Andrew

[Ron.in.SoCal]

Very common in the custom show car/motorcycle world to remove branding and let the beauty of the part speak for itself. A very personal decision, and lot of effort, but no wrong answer in my mind.

[bret]

Personally...as a hotrodder I like a small tasteful logo cast in, engraved in or laser etched onto the part somewhere. This tells me whose component I am working with.
Professionally...we try to reflect my personal logo tastes. But I am not offended by some customers running our huge x large ridetech graphic on their cars Hard to overcome ego!

I do not neccessarily like our "street" cars pasted up like a NASCAR. Most manufacturers enjoy seeing their logo on a customers car [me included] but somtimes a small tasteful emblem somewhere says more than a 10 sq. ft. decal.

[DarkoNova]

Sometimes I don't mind it, sometimes I can't stand it.

Shift knob with the shift pattern on top and the brand name on both sides? Can't stand it.

Center caps with the wheel company's logo? Don't mind it.

Everything's different, I don't love it all or hate it all.

[cdumi96]

How do u expect companies to market their products if they do not put their brand on an item. I hate seeing something I like and not knowing who makes it. I hate car owners who don't wanna tell you who makes a part because they wanna be the cool guy with cool part.

I can make just about anything in my bus and trust me sometimes it's cheaper to buy the part than make it from scratch.

So unless you have the money to spend on engineering and prototype just to have a one off part stop bitching about branding on parts

[MrQuick]

If it makes my car better to me and makes me a golden god to others, I'll fly that flag as high and as long as I can. LOL

Andrew, don't you mean "frog brain"? LOL I don't think we are so bad. I saw a seagull eat a live Sparrow.

[andrewb70]

If it makes my car better to me and makes me a golden god to others, I'll fly that flag as high and as long as I can. LOL

Andrew, don't you mean "frog brain"? LOL I don't think we are so bad. I saw a seagull eat a live Sparrow.

I prefer to call it our "lizard" brain...LOL

Andrew

[Tony_SS]

Personally...as a hotrodder I like a small tasteful logo cast in, engraved in or laser etched onto the part somewhere. This tells me whose component I am working with.

Agree with Bret here... it's about taste. A well designed logo displayed at an appropriate size is professional.

I prefer to call it our "lizard" brain...LOL

Andrew

They Live!

[rustomatic]

Okay, my specific example is this: One of my favorite parts is my Maier Racing Panhard bar setup. It did not come with a sticker or any cool engraving, nor was it painted in a bright color. The frame is black, and the actual bar is silver (aluminum); it's a pretty low-key part, especially if you don't know what you're looking at. The point here is this: Had the unit come with some kind of branding, I would have left it in place, as I'm pleased with the functionality the product has provided. I'm also happy to tell anyone who may ask about the people who made the thing (what's more important, of course, is the fact that I welded it in...).

My laptop has not one, but two Summit Racing stickers on it--I love their shop, and have been to their facility in Sparks, NV several times. They're good people to deal with; I do not have their stickers on my car, however...

Now as far as car dealer license plate frames go, don't even get me started...

[Rod]

Branding is fine when done with a little class, we all buy brands, from the chevy logo on our cars to the nike shirts our Olympic athletes are wearing, were motovated by branding like, what happens in vegas stays in vegas, I do feel that some auto part manufactures over brand, for example a grant steering wheel says grant cast into the wheel and the on the horn button also? really there 5 inches apart, on the other side of that, My Hotchkis leafs have no logo? but my Hotchkis handle bar is logo'ed 3 times in the engine compartment, wheels are branded, tires branded, seats are branded, stereo is branded, man every thing is!! I dont mind branding at all just a more thoughtfull approach would be better, small simple logo or name is good, once on the part is fine, it helps when I'm at the events and every wants to know what is what

[bikefreak600]

i dont mind small prints on parts, but no way would i de-class my car with stickers all over it. unless it was a sponsorship, then well talk !

[Tony_SS]

No one likes a big giant logo stamped in their part but who doesn't love stickers?

[bikefreak600]

No one likes a big giant logo stamped in their part but who doesn't love stickers?

oh .. we cant forget each sticker is worth extra 5 horsepower ! LOL

[Tony_SS]

oh .. we cant forget each sticker is worth extra 5 horsepower ! LOL

If that's the case my tool box is pushing about 180 to the rollers!

[dontlifttoshift]

5 horsepower? I'm going top fuel racing!!

[Rod]

If that's the case my tool box is pushing about 180 to the rollers!

ha ha ha bwaaa ha!!!

Im in the same HP range lets go for pinks !! Tool Box racing, I have extra bolt(stick) ons