The Role of Brand Prominence

In today’s society more now than ever, is run by money. Even though most say we’re all considered equal, many people still pass judgments based on one’s social status and how much money a person is worth. People in society today like to flaunt their wealth and constantly try to outdo each other despite what really might actually be going on. Things such as the bigger house, the brand name clothes, expensive jewelry, and the nicest car are what people may use to determine their social status.With our society, people feel as though they gain more respect if they appear of a higher social class. Unfortunately, in America we are divided up into classes based upon monetary status and how we are perceived. These classes consist of the lower class, the lower middle class which is about 20% of the population and is mostly made up of minority groups. Then there’s the lower middle and upper middle class which is the vast majority of the population. Then last but not least there is the upper class; this class is only made up of about 1%-3% of the American population.The total wealth of the upper class equals the wealth of the lower 95% of the American population. The extremely small group of wealthy people is what most people aspire to become because is today’s world, money is power. Which for most people money is everything and you can’t them any different. The popular phrase †money can’t buy happiness† is not more or less completely true. Despite what most people may think or say money can bring you remotely close to happiness. Everyone knows money can buy friendship or love but it can buy that luxurious lifestyle you always dreamed of.Money can build character which would contribute to your social status. It also says a lot about you and how you portray yourself to others. Having an abundant amount of money determines your health, education, and your standard way of living. Being wealthy also puts you in a co nfident mindset and can help you become a better person in life or do the wrong things with your money and have all your hard work go to waste. Even though everyone is entitled to the same rights those people who are in the lower class have to work much harder to reach success.It’s obvious that wealthier people have more advantages over those in the lower class. That also puts those in that class in a tighter spot but pushes them to move towards their goals and work harder. On the outside all Americans have equal rights no matter what class you’re in but yet those much wealthier have more access and advantages to a better life due to the fact that money is power. Those types of saying and judgments are what people live by day to day to make those who work hard feel as though they’re not working hard enough or just no worthy.The average person is found working at a fast food restaurant or a supermarket checkout line doing their hard earns work. The average rich m an is sitting behind a desk with an expensive suit in a leather chair or found in an emergency room operating on someone. Most say if you don’t go to college you’ll never make it to be successful which is not entirely true. There are plenty of people with college degrees that still ended up in the lower social class because of something that they chose to do or didn’t do. For instance, what would you say about someone who is living in a trailer park?Poor, dirty, lazy, uneducated trashy slob but that’s only said because we’re in a different social class than them people who live like them may not look at it that way. You never know, what are they saying about us? Just because someone is living differently than you doesn’t mean label them to a lower class. You really don’t know what they’re going through or have been through that landed them there. Being a part of a certain social class takes a toll on everyone who tries to be pe rceived other than whom they really are.People should just accept the class that they are in and work towards bigger things than putting themselves in a much worse situation trying to do differently than what they are used to. Healthcare is a major issue due to how the classes are divided. People who are in the lower class can’t afford it but they’re the ones most likely to become ill and need to be treated. Those of the upper class appear to be healthier and have healthcare but really don’t utilize it. These are issues that should be reviewed and worked out no matter what social class your apart of.In conclusively no matter how hard you may work in life, the people of highest or higher social status or class will get the better treatment and uphold a better lifestyle with more opportunities in life.References Han, Y. , Nunes, J. , & Dreze, X. (2010). Signaling Status with Luxury Goods: The Role of Brand Prominence. Journal of Marketing,  74(4), 15-30. doi:10. 1509/jmkg. 74. 4. 15. Retrieved from http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=ufh&AN=51168738&site=ehost-live