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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/36757
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/36757
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

## Not using real brands can give you more creative freedom

Funnily enough, I have an example of this from just the other day. I was writing a scene where my protagonist meets his soon-to-be love interest (who's also secretly a supervillain bank robber) in a nightclub. To demonstrate her wealth, I had her remark, "My entire outfit is Gucci". Then shortly afterwards, I came to a bit where I had to describe her outfit, so I looked up the Gucci women's catalogue.

Let's just say the clothes in their catalogue didn't match the image I had in my head of what that character would actually wear. Especially in a nightclub. Rather than flick through every high-end fashion brand I could think of in search of one that _did_ match, I just changed the line to "My entire outfit is designer" and then made the description up.

## Not using real brands lets the reader fill in the gap

Let's say you have a running gag in which your character's smartphone is slow and keeps crashing, and they constantly complain about it. If you don't mention the brand, readers will imagine it to be whichever smartphone company they like the least, and the joke will become even funnier to them. If you mention it's an iPhone, suddenly readers who like iPhones - and Apple's lawyers - aren't laughing anymore.

## Using a real brand can help reinforce a character's personality

Certain brands are associated with certain subcultures or personality types. To use the soft drinks example: Mountain Dew is associated with gamers; Faygo is associated with Juggalos; Dr. Pepper is associated with the anime _Steins;Gate_. You can use these associations to your advantage, either to subtly reinforce a character's personality, or to subvert them ("The hell is a Juggalo? I drink Faygo 'coz it tastes nice.") At the same time, you should avoid a character using a brand that doesn't fit their image (unless, again, it's for subversive purposes).

Original score: 12