Autism and brand loyalty

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Do people on the spectrum generally have strong brand loyalties?

I have quite a few- I insist on Umbro or Admiral sports and leisurewear, generally play only Nintendo systems and drink only Dr. Pepper. I also like going to the Co-op because of the recent reinstatement of the 1968 logo. When I do have fast food I usually go to Subway although they recently switched to Pepsi products which I'm not too keen on- Dr. Pepper is owned by Coke in the UK and as such I can't get it there anymore. Finally, I favour Apple mobile devices after bad experience with Blackberry.

Yes... I will usually stick with one brand.

It depends on the product, but I do tend to find something I like and stick with it until I'm forced to change, or (gradually) am persuaded to try something different. But I do like a variety of things, so I'll drink Coke or Pepsi (despite a slight preference for the latter), even if I insist on a particular brand of something else. I also don't like going in grocery stores other than my normal one - I find the layouts confusing, and it takes me a long time to find what I want.

I think that's part of our neural programming in general. If I learn one way to get to a particular place, I'll usually stick with that route even if someone points out a quicker way to get there. In my own mind, it's almost immoral to go a different way than I know. I resist change on all levels.

Relatedly, one of the weird things I do is scan 35mm film negatives in the wrong orientation. I'll lay the strip down in the scanner holder so that to my eye I see them in the "right" orientation, with the numbers along the top edge. The result is that, after I scan them, I have to flip and rotate them so that they are oriented correctly on the screen. It's not that I don't realize I could save myself some extra work by changing how I place them in the holder; I just don't like having them facing the wrong direction to my naked eye.

I stick with what works until I can't find it or they change it. That has happened and I always hate when things get changed like that.

A good example would be deodorants. I cannot use antiperspirants because they clog my pores and I have nodules that grow in a matter of a day. But, the deodorant formulas have changed and it causes problems. Itchiness, not working or reacting to my body chemistry differently.

Now, I will make some allowances for aging causing some changes, but not this much.

So, yeah, I stick with the same brands or product.

Yeah, if I like it I will keep using it until they either change it for the worse (new and improved? Hah!), the product or brand is discontinued, or I find something I like even better. I will use more than one brand if i like more than one though. for instance, I use more than one brand of pizza, because there are more than one that is good even though I have a favorite.

Yeah. I stick with what I know to be ok - until something convinces me otherwise. I don´t particularly enjoy trying out new brands.

No, but then I was raised on hand-me-downs and thrift store finds.

Not for me, I'm nothing if not pragmatic. My loyalty to any given brand is directly proportional to its perceived quality. I'll absolutely make substitutions if it's more practical to do so.

Interesting flip on my perspective. My pragmatic view is to not fix it if it ain't broken. But, that has cost me a bit at one time or another as the brand started to slip and be superseded by superior products. For instance: Just bought my first flat screen TV because the sales were good enough and my old Tube was turning olivey green at times. Now, I can see the pimples on the actors when the old tube would just not have the definition to display it before.

Not sure if that's an improvement, but the colors and sound is much better though

Yeah... I can see both sides of this. I guess I've never liked the mentality of "don't fix it if it ain't broke". I figure that if I can do better, I should; it will save me trouble in the long run. Alternatively, if I just need to get something done right away I'll go for the most practical solution and I don't much care about things like brands, as long as it works.

Yeah, I get that. I guess, at my advanced age, Ive pretty much gone through most of those stages of trying to improve things and settled into mostly what works personally. Like the thing with the TV. I knew the advantages for ages. Just got around to getting one because no need until it started to go bad (old tv) or the fact that the only reason I own a smartphone is because it was given to me. It just doesn't do that much more for me to have spent my own money on it.

Now, it's just a quick 'instamatic' type of camera and just one or two things I do like, but really don't need. But, mostly just a phone.

I just like familiarity, I don't really care about brands. Brands aren't alive or looking out for my best interests, anyway.

I thought the brand was the easy way to track familiarity.

Not necessarily. I don't care if the bakery next to work stocks Coke or Pepsi products, where they buy their beef, or what brand of mustard they use as long as it's still pretty similar, tastes good, and is fast to walk to.

Kinda missing the point.

If I use this soap or that soap, I can easily tell someone what brand and variety.

Has nothing to do with what you said.

And yeah, I know people who will not drink a pepsi or coke because they will only drink the other. So, tracking which of the gazillions of softdrinks out there...easy tracking.....

Not really, no. Not interested in arguing, just going off the listed definition pretty much anywhere.