I have a question about Brands, brands in everyday life, food, products etc. I have seen many a book with branded items in.
What do you think about having brand names in books?
Does it make it feel familiar? Or is it just free advertising?
Does it seem like a stamp, that says this was written in England, America or France, because of the products used. Or is it just annoying like product placement?
And in some cases, is it even allowed?
Your views and opinions are much appreciated.
It depends very much on the social background of your book; a 40s novel mentioning Ovaltine, for example, would be just scene setting. If you're planning to tell a contemporary story of upwardly mobile urban folk, you could drop in a few names; but more than a couple, and you've lost me.
You need to consider your audience and whether they will actually care about the brands of things - and how long such an audience's attention span will be. If all they want is to identify with a character who likes the same stuff, will they really care what happens in the plot?
Too many brand names give the whole thing a shallow feel.
Personally I hate brand names in books. It might be because they don't impress me in the real world either. It sounds like showing off. As fashions come and go, surely they will date the stories, or is that the intention?
@ Chris Oslund: "I would suggest they be used sparingly" is GOOD!
I once battled through the first chapter of a book that went something like:
Patricia put down her Louis Vuitton sunglasses and glided in her Attilio Giusti Leombruni slippers over to the Tesalia sideboard. A glass of Moët et Chandon and a Zino were just what she needed. Her Christian Dior scent trailed musingly behind her. Slicing the tip off her cigar with a Brizard & Co. Double Guillotine Elite Cigar Cutter, she lit it with the Dupont butane lighter that George had given her. Dear, dear George Pemberton Gillespie IV...
Sets the scene, doesn't it? You just KNOW that we're dealing with a spiritually-dead arsehole here. Or rather, two of them: the author AND her repulsive heroine. And George is probably a doozie as well.
You may NOT be surprised that I didn't read the 1st sentence of Chapter 2. Possible review: "Do NOT put this book down! (You might never pick it up again.)"