Dr. Denis Worrall

Chairman

Omega Investment Research

I don’t believe in outwardly advertising the product I am wearing or using. I don’t believe in wearing shirts with the manufacturers’ logo on the breast pocket. But while I eschew publicising the manufacturers of my shirts or my shoes or my pants, like Shakespeare (see sonnet 111) I understand the importance of brands. Because brands are integral to the drive for quality and for the superiority of products and services, which in turn is integral to a free market. Brands, and the discipline of branding, would be a nonsense in a completely planned economy. Does branding and “Superbranding” in particular allow for individuality? Or does the universal pre-occupation with branding limit individual expression? No, it doesn’t. One person will wear an Olympic t-shirt, another Adidas or Nike. They have expressed an individual preference. But there is not much freedom of choice outside of branding. We are all locked into it - which is why I mainly buy my shirts at Woolworths!