Brand Rivalries: An American Tradition
Did you know that in some places, Ford vs Chevy, as a rivalry, is a thing? And not just between the actual companies, but among consumers, who pay full price for the product? It is similar to sports, where fans with no bearing on the outcome of games latch their very identity to teams, and rivalries emerge (Red Sox vs Yankees, OSU vs Michigan). The intensity of the Ford/Chevy rivalry has seemingly faded now. At least I think it has, though I’ve long lived in a coastal city, and have admittedly lost the pulse of rural culture - I may be wrong.
Regardless, Ford/Chevy was definitely a real phenomenon when - and where - I was growing up. On a ranch located somewhere between a corn field and a cow pasture, Ford truck versus Chevy truck was a matter of great social and political import. Guys had bumper stickers with Calvin defiling the logo of the opposing brand (those may still be around, but again, not here in urban SoCal).
Believe it or not, you’d have Ford families and Chevy families. Even if you didn’t personally own or operate a farm, one had to pick a truck side and stay loyal. A lot of it is good fun; actually, it is all good fun. The stakes are quite low here when we’re literally debating brand preferences.
A Migration of Brand Rivalries
Cars used to hold a lot more significance in our culture. Not that cars aren’t often still a household’s single most valuable asset. With the dawn of the internet and telecommunications, the relevance of the automobile has been slipping. Obtaining a driver’s license, for example, was once a celebrated rite of passage, and now kids often don’t want to bother with it.
In a time and place where independent farmers and tradesmen would definitely rely heavily on their truck for their career success, it’s easier to see how brand rivalries could emerge around trucks. It used to play a more pivotal role in the culture and the economy. When so much of your life depended on a truck, an emotional attachment was more likely.
With the age of the internet, the significance of the automobile has slid back. And as things like your phone, your computer, and your online presence become more vital, some of that emotional attachment might be moving over from cars, to smaller gadgets.
And so my theory is that the Ford / Chevy brand beef may have faded, but the spirit of it is still alive, in tech products. Android vs iPhone. Mac vs PC. I definitely know of families who try to keep the household in one, home electronics ecosystem, be it Apple, Microsoft, Google, Samsung or whatever else is out there. I personally chose to convert from a Pixel phone to an iPhone in order to ingratiate myself to the in-laws. I’ve even seen plenty of cars out here in California with the Apple sticker on the bumper, broadcasting to the world that the driver has an allegiance to Apple products. I’ve yet to see a bumper sticker featuring Calvin defiling the Apple logo, but maybe that’s a product opportunity, should if I one day decide to get my Substack into merch.
The OS Rivalry Is Brewing
As I’ve been writing this blog, I’ve become increasingly aware of the rivalry that exists even among fans of something as mundane as operating systems. The recent release of the HP DragonFly Pro Chromebook has stirred up a bit of renaissance for Chromebooks and Chrome OS demand, and also stirred up resentment from Mac and PC types. In case you missed it, I reviewed it here:
Priced at $999, the thing certainly isn’t cheap. Nobody is going to casually, end up with a Dragonfly Pro Chromebook by accident. If anyone buys a $999 Chromebook, then they want it, a lot. And yet, it can’t stay on the shelf long enough. Time and again, HP restocks it, and hours later, it sells out again. HP took a chance, investing significant marketing and R&D into a premium Chromebook, and it appears to be paying off.
This has Chromebook enthusiasts emboldened. In sports terms, forget Red Socks/Yankees; being a Chromebook fan is somewhat parallel to being a Cleveland sports fan. And now after years of being a perpetual punchline, it’s 2003 and we’ve drafted our Lebron, and there is hope. The future looks promising, and the typically mild-mannered, budget-loving Chrome techies have begun publishing articles like this:
And this:
Not everybody’s happy. As all of my brethren in Chrome OS are taking a bit of a victory lap, I’m starting to see some push-back. There have always been trolls for the Chromebook fans, but now those trolls are getting louder.
As trivial as corporate brand allegiances are, occasionally some people take these things too far. In the Ford vs Chevy battles, for example, there were parts of the country where it could be considered detrimental to your reputation and career to roll up in the politically incorrect vehicle, such as a Honda Accord. If you were in close proximity to Ford and GM manufacturing plants, then ignorant, insecure, Luddites might see Honda as a threat, and even moralize the issue to find some rationalization for why preferring a Toyota Camry to a Ford Taurus was somehow harmful to the American worker, and economy.
If Ford : Chevy :: Apple : Microsoft, then Chrome OS is something like a Mazda in the 80s. It’s an interesting alternative, with small market share, unique advantages, and specific limitations. Budget priced, not for everyone, but a loyal cult following of enthusiasts, and truly a lot of bang for the buck for many people.
If there’s a recurring theme on my blog - aside from Chromebooks - it’s the theme of forced car analogies. I think this is a good one though, so please hear me out.
Continuing in this analogy, imagine it’s 1989, you’re in Detroit and you’ve just arrived at the bar, and parked your new Mazda RX-7 between a Mustang and a Camaro. You’re enjoying your beer, and watching the Tigers play on the TV. And now, here comes a toothless, stinky, beer-bellied, grunt, feeling insecure and trying to start a fight with you, because he thinks your car is some sort of threat to the livelihood of the nation.
The Mazda, in this analogy, would be like a Chromebook today. And who is the toothless, pathetic, insecure, delusional, loser who can’t leave you alone?
Sorry, you’ll need to wait for the cliffhanger reveal, next week. As a preview, let’s just say that the leading Chromebook writers are too nice, and I want to balance it out. Team Chromebook has rather kind, mild-mannered, non-confrontational people who like to focus on the positive, and won’t name names or make drama. I applaud them. On the other hand, Team Chromebook is taking hits. And so I, as a completely non-serious blogger with no reputation or brand-relationships to uphold, have a role and responsibility on Team Chromebook, to name names, and offer a proper return volley in this mud fight.
With that, see you next week for part two!