The Brands That Walk Beside Me

What brands do you associate with?

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When I think about brands, it isn’t just about logos, ads, or catchy slogans—it’s about the little threads they weave into my everyday life.

I remember my first pair of sneakers; they weren’t just shoes, they were Nike. I didn’t buy them because of the swoosh, but somehow that swoosh became a badge of confidence on the playground. It made me feel faster, braver, like I could outrun even my own fears.

Later, when I started writing more seriously, a simple Moleskine notebook became my trusted companion. Its smooth pages seemed to say, “Go on, write it down. Your words matter.” I could’ve written on anything, but somehow the brand gave me a sense of belonging—like I had joined an unspoken club of dreamers and thinkers.

And then there’s Apple—not just a brand, but almost a language. My first iPod held entire chapters of my teenage life in playlists, and years later, my iPhone still feels less like a gadget and more like an extension of myself.

Brands, I realize, aren’t just about products. They become memories. They tie themselves to moments. They remind us who we were when we first touched them, wore them, trusted them. Some fade away, while others walk beside us quietly, almost like old friends.

So when someone asks me, “What brands do you associate with?”—I don’t think of marketing strategies or billboards. I think of stories. I think of the times I ran, wrote, listened, and lived with them in the background, shaping little pieces of me along the way.

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