The Usage Of Brands in Narrations

[Venom]

Stephen King once told me (well, not me personally) that using brands or companies like Coca-Cola or IBM or Lufthansa in narrations creates a -let's say- familiar atmosphere for the reader. She or He is more eager to accept the story as "real" if things of their daily lifes appear.

I think he is right, but what are your opinions? (we are not talking abiout surreptitious advertising!)

[Euryleia]

If the placement makes sense within the world of the writing, then do so. Don't just throw in mentions of current fads or your work will quickly become dated or unintelligible to your audience. Additionally, if your book is going to have an international readership, will they understand what you mean when you use a brand that is local or national? International advertising means that most everyone knows what you're talking about when your character goes into Starbucks or grabs a Coca-Cola. They might not have the same comprehension when you have the character play Pong or drink a Barq's.

[Clevernick]

I think Euryleia and I agree, except that I think there's a time and a place for everything.

Douglas Adams happily included digital watches and Sony Walkmen in his books, which he well knew would date them. Didn't matter because it got a laugh, and he wasn't writing for the ages.

He also included conkers, which nobody outside the British Isles will understand. I forgave him anyway.

[Mad Lews]

Stephen King once told me (well, not me personally) that using brands or companies like Coca-Cola or IBM or Lufthansa in narrations creates a -let's say- familiar atmosphere for the reader. She or He is more eager to accept the story as "real" if things of their daily lifes appear.

I think he is right, but what are your opinions? (we are not talking abiout surreptitious advertising!)

I'll echo ER's words, go for the timeless steadfast brands. Coke is a no brainer, but the double entendre might be lost in a few years. Dockers could go the way of chinos and serve only to date your masterpiece, but Levies are forever. Common usage of brand names may change rapidly too. The original Automated teller machine was called a Barney machine some 20 years ago, now Barney is an annoying purple dinosaur and bank teller machines are ATMs. The world changes and real, relevant, and descriptive brands can sometimes fade away.

The opinionated Lews

[Ozme52]

I found the whole thread far more interesting when I thought the brands being discussed were slave symbols.

I think both opinions have merit. I'd certainly use period and 'dated' brands for a historical piece, and the most ubiquitous brands I could imagine for 'future-tense' stories.

I imagine any story set in modern times could use a mix of either, but I'd stay away from very localized brands... because one of Douglas Adams "faults" was being a bit too colloquial in my opinion. I always found him hard to read.

[Venom]

I found the whole thread far more interesting when I thought the brands being discussed were slave symbols.

Yeah, nice trap, isn't it?

That stories could become dated is an interesting point: I've read almost everything written by H. P. Lovecraft, and although he wrote in the 1920's and '30's, his narrations are still modern (in a positive way!) Of coures, when it comes to technical descriptions, you can tell that they are around 80 years old. And often he used exact dates. But there's something about his work that makes it timeless. Is it the contense, the style? A little bit of both.

Using brands to create a feeling of a certain epoch, as mentioned by many of you, is not only a good method, it's more or less necessary. Can you imagine the '90's without Swatch? Or the '50's (-'77) without Elvis? He's a brand, too.

But a story which isn't designed to take place in the '80's and therefore doesn't use the narrative possibilities for style, historical context etc., should be dissociated from temporary trends.

[Mad Lews]

I find brands should be heated to a slight glow, (approximately than 750 degrees) and pressed lightly against the skin for three to five seconds. higher Temperatures can result in serious damage to the underlying muscle tissue. Durations longer than that increase the chance of movement and the blurring of the brands edges. This is of course just one mans opinion and you should consult medical authorities before engaging in permanent body modification.

yours
Mad Lews

[fetishdj]

With regards to dating works... sometimes that is the purpose of including familiar brands. They help to give a piece a fixed point in time. If it is a contemporary work it allows later readers to get a better understanding of the period it was written in (in the case of Douglas Adams even people who were not alive in the 80s know that every wore digital watches back then ). If it is a period piece, it adds to the versimilitude. A good example of this in writing is Life On Mars where there are several brandnames dropped in which no longer exist but were common in the 70's. Quantum Leap (to use an example which more of you may be familiar with) also did this with the Burma Shave adverts. They place the period and location of the story as definitely 1950s and America as that brand is rarely seen elsewhere in time or space.

[StephVE]

In my writing I use brands to provide authenticity. Even a complex BDSM fantasy becomes more real when the dominatrix is wearing a Rolex Oyster to time the interval between her lashes. Upscale brands like Louis Vuitton luggage and Krug champagne provide a wonderful aura of wealth in describing a secret chateau where the rich and famous gather.