5 ms·

North Korea is a good inverting mirror of our modern societies, and there is always something of inspiration in the diametrically opposite. I, for one, would we

by gbog 9y ago

North Korea is a good inverting mirror of our modern societies, and there is always something of inspiration in the diametrically opposite. I, for one, would welcome a brandless packaging of most products, where a pack of coffee would just be a dark brown folded paper with "coffee" written on it. Same with sugar, yogurt, butter, etc. We are brainwashed into believing that sugar X is different from sugar Y but it is the same thing with different packaging, often produced in the same lines in the same factories. Muji is a successful Japanese brandless shop where I get my clothes. We have generics drugs that are less expensive. I think a brandless Walmart would be successful too, for those who refuse to be brainwashed.

sjellis 9y ago
"Muji is a successful Japanese brandless shop where I get my clothes. We have generics drugs that are less expensive. I think a brandless Walmart would be successful too, for those who refuse to be brainwashed." This is one of the appeals of Marks & Spencer, who are one of the last survivors of the old British department stores. They sell clothes and food, all almost entirely their own-brand products, which are not cheap but are good quality. You can go into an M&S and buy essentials just by collecting the things on your list, without ever having to choose between brands.
- rtpg 9y ago
  Muji is a pretty fun case in irony. No brand markings but super obvious that things come from it due to its unique style.
  - gbog 9y ago
    Maye it is "unique" but then just because it is the simplest design possible. T-shirts are just T-shirts with nothing special, even no "tickets" (the shitty piece of cloth with all the useless warning signs that hurts the skin and serve no purpose).
kakwa_ 9y ago
I don't know if it's the case in other countries, but in France, most supermarket chains have their own "budget" brand which are generally quite explicit/generic in term of packaging. Here is the label of the tin I ate yesterday for example: https://image.ibb.co/kCxA0b/IMG_20171008_094309.jpg https://image.ibb.co/kCxA0b/IMG_20171008_094309.jpg no product name, just the composition of it. Even the color are meant to associate to the composition (green -> little peas, pink/red -> bacon, white -> onions, orange -> carrots). And a realistic photo of what to expect.
- wingerlang 9y ago
  Does it change colors for each product? I would never consider that one as a budget brand by looking at it. In Sweden (etc, I suppose) we have Euroshopper which is as minimal as it gets. It's instantly recognisable in each isle. Example http://files2.coloribus.com/files/adsarchive/part_1664/16649455/file/euro-shopper-commodity-products-euro-shopper-package-redesign-600-54787.jpg http://files2.coloribus.com/files/adsarchive/part_1664/16649...
- inferiorhuman 9y ago
  > I don't know if it's the case in other countries, but in France, most supermarket chains have their own "budget" brand which are generally quite explicit/generic in term of packaging. Very common in the United States as stores don't license the brand names and so have to come up with a non-trademarked name.
- SyneRyder 9y ago
  Australia has Black & Gold brand, not specific to a certain store but always low priced and bland packaging that is identical for every product (yellow box, black text). http://www.lossofprivacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/aboutusbrands.jpg http://www.lossofprivacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/abou... Still not as utilitarian as the Dharma Initiative food packaging in the TV show Lost, though: https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/1313454/lost-food.0.jpg https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/1313454/l...
  - kw71 9y ago
fiblye 9y ago
The ironic thing about Muji is everything I come across there costs 50-100% more than branded products I see elsewhere. Single serving packets of curry for 800 yen? Basic shirts for 3000 yen? No thanks.
- gbog 9y ago
  I live in Beijing and there, for the few I know (because I never shop elsewhere), clothes in Muji are good quality, simple functional design, and relatively cheap.
lost_my_pwd 9y ago
In the US in the 70s-80s this used to be a thing: http://gbnfgroceries.blogspot.com/2014/01/from-misc-foods-aisle-generic-brands.html http://gbnfgroceries.blogspot.com/2014/01/from-misc-foods-ai... There were actually a few no-brand brands from supermarket chains like this that I can recall.
FabHK 9y ago
> brandless packaging I stayed in Yanggakdo International Hotel on Yanggak Island in the river Taedong in Pyongyang on a tour, and there were two restaurants, and they were called "Restaurant 1" and "Restaurant 2". I found that quite refreshing.
- bane 9y ago
  Where they any different or just overflow?
  - FabHK 9y ago
    They looked pretty similar, and we had set meals, so don't know whether their a-la-carte menu was different...
rkuykendall-com 9y ago
Canada has this, with amazing stark-yellow packaging and big black Helvetica nouns: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Name_(brand) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Name_(brand)
someguydave 9y ago
This is still a thing in U.S. grocery stores, it's just that they have "store brand" generic products. For instance in Costco they sell "Kirkland brand". These generics are usually a good deal in terms of quality for price.

by gbog 9y ago

sjellis 9y ago

"Muji is a successful Japanese brandless shop where I get my clothes. We have generics drugs that are less expensive. I think a brandless Walmart would be successful too, for those who refuse to be brainwashed." This is one of the appeals of Marks & Spencer, who are one of the last survivors of the old British department stores. They sell clothes and food, all almost entirely their own-brand products, which are not cheap but are good quality. You can go into an M&S and buy essentials just by collecting the things on your list, without ever having to choose between brands.

rtpg 9y ago
Muji is a pretty fun case in irony. No brand markings but super obvious that things come from it due to its unique style.
- gbog 9y ago
  Maye it is "unique" but then just because it is the simplest design possible. T-shirts are just T-shirts with nothing special, even no "tickets" (the shitty piece of cloth with all the useless warning signs that hurts the skin and serve no purpose).

kakwa_ 9y ago

I don't know if it's the case in other countries, but in France, most supermarket chains have their own "budget" brand which are generally quite explicit/generic in term of packaging. Here is the label of the tin I ate yesterday for example: https://image.ibb.co/kCxA0b/IMG_20171008_094309.jpg https://image.ibb.co/kCxA0b/IMG_20171008_094309.jpg no product name, just the composition of it. Even the color are meant to associate to the composition (green -> little peas, pink/red -> bacon, white -> onions, orange -> carrots). And a realistic photo of what to expect.

wingerlang 9y ago
Does it change colors for each product? I would never consider that one as a budget brand by looking at it. In Sweden (etc, I suppose) we have Euroshopper which is as minimal as it gets. It's instantly recognisable in each isle. Example http://files2.coloribus.com/files/adsarchive/part_1664/16649455/file/euro-shopper-commodity-products-euro-shopper-package-redesign-600-54787.jpg http://files2.coloribus.com/files/adsarchive/part_1664/16649...
inferiorhuman 9y ago
> I don't know if it's the case in other countries, but in France, most supermarket chains have their own "budget" brand which are generally quite explicit/generic in term of packaging. Very common in the United States as stores don't license the brand names and so have to come up with a non-trademarked name.
SyneRyder 9y ago
Australia has Black & Gold brand, not specific to a certain store but always low priced and bland packaging that is identical for every product (yellow box, black text). http://www.lossofprivacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/aboutusbrands.jpg http://www.lossofprivacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/abou... Still not as utilitarian as the Dharma Initiative food packaging in the TV show Lost, though: https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/1313454/lost-food.0.jpg https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/1313454/l...
- kw71 9y ago

fiblye 9y ago

The ironic thing about Muji is everything I come across there costs 50-100% more than branded products I see elsewhere. Single serving packets of curry for 800 yen? Basic shirts for 3000 yen? No thanks.

gbog 9y ago
I live in Beijing and there, for the few I know (because I never shop elsewhere), clothes in Muji are good quality, simple functional design, and relatively cheap.

lost_my_pwd 9y ago

In the US in the 70s-80s this used to be a thing: http://gbnfgroceries.blogspot.com/2014/01/from-misc-foods-aisle-generic-brands.html http://gbnfgroceries.blogspot.com/2014/01/from-misc-foods-ai... There were actually a few no-brand brands from supermarket chains like this that I can recall.

FabHK 9y ago

> brandless packaging I stayed in Yanggakdo International Hotel on Yanggak Island in the river Taedong in Pyongyang on a tour, and there were two restaurants, and they were called "Restaurant 1" and "Restaurant 2". I found that quite refreshing.

bane 9y ago
Where they any different or just overflow?
- FabHK 9y ago
  They looked pretty similar, and we had set meals, so don't know whether their a-la-carte menu was different...

rkuykendall-com 9y ago

Canada has this, with amazing stark-yellow packaging and big black Helvetica nouns: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Name_(brand) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Name_(brand)

someguydave 9y ago

This is still a thing in U.S. grocery stores, it's just that they have "store brand" generic products. For instance in Costco they sell "Kirkland brand". These generics are usually a good deal in terms of quality for price.