If you’re 40 or older, you’ll remember the generic product craze that struck supermarkets in the late 1970s. In most stores, there was an entire aisle that was stocked with products bearing black-and-white labels, with no brand names or logos.

The premise was simple. Because there was no advertising, no fancy packaging, no variety of sizes to choose from and the product was always a no-frills “standard,” the generic product was 30-40 percent cheaper than its brand-name counterpart.

The arguments for choosing generics were rooted in logic:

Made by the same manufacturers as the brand-name products;

In blind taste tests, no one could tell the difference;

Cheaper.

Sounds like a slam-dunk, doesn’t it? And yet, generic products have vanished from the shelves. Though consumers saw the value of the generic, they couldn’t quell their emotions. They couldn’t trust a stranger. They could not trust that the products could be as good as the brand-name versions.

And so the products sat on the shelves. Generic beer, peanut butter and peas. No one wanted them. After the early 1980s recession disappeared, so did the generics.

However, store brands not only survived; they are still performing well today. In theory, they’re just a variation on generic products, right? But what’s the difference?

They’re associated with a store brand we already know and trust.

Consumers are drawn to the safe and familiar, for the most part. They want reliability and comfort in their decision. They want you to create a brand they can trust and rely on. Are you doing that?

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2010 Drew McLellan