I'm a happy consumer.

Brands. Hong Kong is full them. Hong Kong is full of people whose life's only purpose is to boast on new, expensive things. You don't go for just one or two expensive things like a watch or a fancy shirt, no, you go for the full package. You have to have expensive everything on you. It doesn't really matter if you live in a shithole in the Chinese border, or under a bridge in Fanlin. No. What is important is that whenever you're out in the public you can wear the finest things available and look like you're worth millions.

Once I heard my girlfriend call LV bags the "uniform of Hong Kong". Sadly, it's a very truthful way of putting it. Every time you step outside, you will see LV bags somewhere. If you take a look at people queuing somewhere, there's at least a few LV's there too. If not LV, then it's Gucci, Burberry or any of the sort.

I can feel it my fingers, I can feel it in my toes. Brands are all around us. Branding doesn't stop with clothes, of course.

It's amazing how much money locals use on anything from Japan. It's like Japan is a magical land where only good things come. Put a few kanji or katakana characters on a product and it's an instant success. This works especially in cosmetics and skincare products.

Yesterday I was watching a TV show (local channel in Cantonese) which was pretty much like any talk show where they might discuss politics, or the days topics, etc. Well, this program was about new brand products in the market. I don't really know if there's any other point to the show than this, but from what I saw, it's just another marketing tool for companies. This time, a Japanese skincare product company was given a generous 15 minutes for promoting their product with computer animations (the kind of animations that prove the product works without a question) and everything - and the host supporting this obviously superior product (has to be superior because it comes with a big price tag). I didn't really understand a word said on the show, but the message was clear enough. Go and buy!!

A more obvious channel of information for those with material aspirations are the local magazines. They are full of articles about new brand products. Page after page of pictures and product information. They even tell the price for all these new products so that once you see someone wearing/carrying it, you will know how much it cost. And of course, if you have bought one yourself, you can rest assured that everyone seeing you will know how much you spent on that dreamy new LV bag of yours.

There's nothing wrong with brands, of course. There's nothing wrong in bringing a guarantee to the market only brands can provide. In fact, I'm a big fan of brands.

However, the extent in which brands are worshiped in Hong Kong is quite disturbing. Less would do just fine. You have people who make HKD 10,000 or less a month, spending way more than their monthly income on single products. You have people incredibly shallow and materialistic, who will start and end relationships based on the income of their companions and the value of the gifts they give.

When I started going out with my girlfriend, my income was among the first questions she received from her friends. And I am sure they weren't asking out of concern to my financial health.

Anyway, as a final thing, at least Hong Kong people in general know how to dress. When they buy their expensive brand products, they have an idea how to use the product in a proper context. Mainland Chinese (the Nouveau riche), however, can't dress for shit. They buy the garments with the biggest logo available and have no consideration of how the different colours/designs go together with the other things they wear. It's funny. Even in Hong Kong, you can still quite easily tell who is Hong Kong native, who is from Mainland China by what people wear. Of course this is a generalization, but you see these things happen all the time. And it really is funny.

That's about all time I have for today. Maybe I'll get back on the topic of brands later. It is a broad topic to cover. Anyways, off now. Laters.

"I'm a happy consumer! And you know, I'm concerned about what my children consume! I'd like to consume the barrel of a twelve-gauge shotgun right now -- blam!' - Bill Hicks