By a show of hands, how many of us drive Ford vehicles?  My father drives an old Ford truck.  He’s owned countless models of the Ford Taurus, I lost count at four.  He traded his last Taurus in for…a Grand Marquis.  This would be treason in some households, except for the saving grace that Mercury is owned by the Ford Motor Company.

Brand loyalty is everywhere in life.  When I go to a restaurant and order a coke, I want Coca-Cola.  I don’t want Pepsi.  I enjoy video games.  There are developers (such as Naughty Dog or Insomniac) that I will buy any game they make.  Need another example?  For the last ten years, every tennis shoe I’ve worn has one company’s name—Nike.

People stick with certain brands for an infinite number of reasons, but generally those reasons can be grouped into a couple of categories:

·        Comfort—People know what to expect from the product.  They trust the brand.  Depending on the person, some research is involved—personal research or that of a professional.  For others, sometimes fear of trying something new drives brand loyalty.

·        Connection—Remember the DirecTV commercial where the neighborhood cable guy orders satellite programming?  Funny commercial, but in reality my money is on the cable guy watching his cable television.

·        Ignorance—I use this term in the most positive way.  There are instances where being unaware of alternatives contributes to brand loyalty.

·        Cost—Alternatives may be expensive.

·        Stubbornness—We may know and have access to better products, but we don’t care.  We continue to buy what we have always bought.

So, how does this relate to diecast?  I’m so glad you asked!  First, there have never been so many diecast companies competing for your hard-earned cash.  Secondly, my diecast collection is exclusively Hot Wheels.  I have no connection to Mattel.  I’m not ignorant to the other diecast being offered.  While Hot Wheels are cheap, why don’t I also collect Matchbox?  In places, they’re cheaper.  And some collectors could argue that in the sense of overall value, Johnny Lightning or Jada are better diecast for the money.  I’ve tried the comfort issue, stating that I always know what to expect from Hot Wheels.  As the sun rises and sets, we have first editions, treasure hunts, and segment series.  However, with a few clicks on my mouse, any diecast information is available.  Besides, diecast come in blister!  There is no surprise as to what you are getting!

 

Hi.  I’m Crash.  I’m a stubborn ol’ mule!

 

My New Year’s Resolution is to find something, ANYTHING from a company whose name is NOT Mattel, that I like.  With all the great offerings coming in 2003, how could anyone chain themselves to just one brand?  Good Luck with your diecast collections in the coming year!--

 

--hwcrash