For many people, a product name sends a message.  It could say: quality or experience or reliability.  It could say exclusivity or expensive.

Marketing executives at companies spend a lot of money trying to get consumers to identify with their particular brand. 

Do you remember these?

Frosted Flakes.  They’re G-R-E-A-T!

Maxwell House.  Good to the last drop.

Campbell’s Soup.  M’m! M’m! Good!

We hear the slogans, we sing the jingles; we remember the brands.  And when we go to the grocery store, we are more likely to reach for the Campbell’s brand than the less expensive store brand because we’ve been assured that the Campbell’s brand is truly good. M’m.  M’m.

But is there really a big difference between a brand name and a private label (or store) brand?

Take a package of Domino Premium Granulated Sugar.  A 5 lb bag costs $2.90.  Compare it to Lowe’s Foods store brand at $2.29.  The one and only ingredient in both?  Sugar.

Do you have a brand name product that you absolutely love and couldn’t imagine substituting?  No problem.  Keep using that—(but look for coupons to bring the cost down). 

Is your favorite brand on sale for less money than the store brand?  Buy your favorite.

But next time you’re at the grocery store, compare the prices, ingredients and nutritional information of your usual brand names and the store brand.

Chances are you may find that, like the sugar, a product by any other name will taste just as sweet.

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