 "Branding isn’t something to add to great products. It’s essential to their existence." — Rory Sutherland

After living through a global pandemic for over a year, three companies are putting their names, their reputations and the future of their brands on the line to bring us a vaccine.

For some, it’s a relief to have access to a vaccine because it puts an end to the fear and anxiety many of us have been experiencing. Others are still skeptical about the efficacy and the safety of the vaccine.

1. Living in a brand-less world

Imagine a brand-less world. A world where customers can't tell the difference between all the options available to them, where they have to buy from faceless companies.

In this world, if you bought something you really liked, it would be impossible for you to repeat that purchase with absolute certainty that you are getting the same product or service. And if you hated your purchase, or-- worse-- got hurt or suffered a loss, there would be no one to blame and hold accountable.

In this alternate universe, everything is a lot cheaper, but it costs you a lot more to buy. Every purchase costs you exponentially more time and energy to acquire. Risk and uncertainty are also extremely high because you can never know in advance what you are getting.

In a brand-less world, there are no incentives for companies to produce high quality products, deliver amazing services or invest in quality control. Since they will not reap the benefits of doing great work and since there is no reputation on the line, why bother?

2. Living in a branded world

In a branded world, you are able to quickly evaluate your options— often at a glance. You can get more of the products or services you like and trust, and stay away from those you dislike and mistrust.

Branding enables you to uphold your beliefs and values, and to communicate them to the world by buying brands that share your worldview. It gives you the power to vote with your money for the kind of world you want to live in.

In this world, you are able to earn the social status that brands with high equity confer, as well as the benefits of the powerful placebo great products give, like the confidence one gets putting on makeup or a great tailored suit.

Branding is essential to the existence of amazing products and services, not only because the reward of doing great work is a powerful incentive for companies to invest in innovation and quality control, but also because it is costly to not deliver on brand promises.

Ultimately, our ability to make an informed decision about whether to get a vaccine and to debate which one we prefer, is only possible because we live in a branded world. A branded world may not be perfect, but a brand-less one would be worse.