What is it about the logo that is so reassuring? What is it about the brand that immediately captures the buyer's attention amid a sea of names and products each trying to outsell and outperform one another. SONY, a mere four letters yet it spells a great multitude of meanings in the world of electronics, conquering us with the assurance of quality, superiority, value, innovation, dependability and, most of all, pride. It is always the first choice and, for some of us, the only choice when electronics come to mind. This is the reason why we head straight for the
Sony section in appliance stores and electronics specialists. It is also the same reason why we brag that ours is a Sony and theirs is not. But how did this come to be? How did such a brand reach the pedestal of buyer preference in such a competitive market? The reason for each of us may be different and I can only define mine through experience.

My Sony "first time" was in my pre-teens. Still a bit childish and naive by most everyone's standards, I received my best gift yet when dad gave me his prized cassette player. It was a hand-me-down, I know, but I was more than happy to get for it didn't look and sound like one. Black, bulky and heavy as was the trend then, it sounded like a dream, giving even my worn and old cassette tapes new life when fed to its player. Since then, after-school hours were spent with Billy Joel, Christopher Cross, Stevie Wonder, The Eagles and Earth, Wind & Fire playing in the background. The radio was a hit as well, for the gadget clearly captured the sounds of my favorite FM radio station of the time, 99.5 RT.

Naturally, I started showing it off to friends. I even brought it to school a few times and used it for my dance club auditions. I nailed the auditions, of course, but looking back I cannot confidently say it was because of my dance moves or my talent that did it for me. There were equally capable aspirants who auditioned but I was lucky enough to be selected. Maybe it was my Sony cassette player that gave me the edge, inspiring me to outperform the others, and coaxing every bit of courage and confidence out of my young spirit with its wonderful sound. Maybe.

As the dance club activities went into full swing, I found out just how invaluable my big, black and bulky Sony cassette player was. It became the club's workhorse, present in all our practices every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons, never failing to provide us with the best sound we needed for inspiration. The club had its own cassette player, mind you, but mine was always their preferred unit. In fact, our club moderator never failed to remind me to bring my Sony to practices, and my Sony never failed them as well. At times I would think that, maybe, it was my Sony cassette player they were really after. What if I was admitted to the club only because of my Sony? What if I didn't really qualify as a dancer at all? What if I totally sucked? Though such thoughts entered my mind a few times I didn't dwell on them that much. I didn't care. What mattered most was that I was in the club living out my dream and the pride of being known as the boy with the best cassette player in school!

Since then, Sony has been my preference. That grade school era experience taught me the value of quality and dependability, and inculcated into my young mind the superiority of one brand above all others. When Walkmans were the rage, I bought not just one but two - one for my usual outdoor activities, and the other to be used only for 'special' occasions. Unfortunately, both were stolen. One during a college outing, and the other taken when my school locker was forced open. What's funny about both incidents was that my Walkmans were singled out by the thieves. Though there were other valuables available for their taking, it was my prized gadgets that they preferred. This, I think, is a testament to Sony's standing the gadget market for even thieves recognize its quality and value above the others. That was also when I realized that there are thieves out there who have good taste! He he.

The stream of other Sony products to add to my experience continued - a CD Walkman for my early-model car stereo when compact discs were starting to come out, a VCR for that weekend movie habit at home, a personal 14-inch colored TV proudly bought with college allowance savings, Playstations, PSPs and a slew of mobile phones that captured my interest with almost every model that came out. Such was my fascination and preference for the brand, and I'm sure millions out there are in the same boat - millions of Sony fans who have likewise learned from experience. This is what sets the brand apart from its competitors. And this is the reason why the name currently sits atop the buyer preference pedestal. Though ads will go a long way in introducing a new name or a new product, and they may initially succeed, nothing beats brand loyalty gained from years of (very satisfying) first-hand experience. And all of us have to thank our very first Sony products for this - the colored TV from Saudi, the Betamax from Duty Free, the Walkman from Kuya, the camera from Ninong or the Playstation from Santa.

For me, I can never be thankful enough to Dad for introducing me to Sony when he gave me his Sony CF-550A cassette player many, many years ago. It not only introduced me to a tradition of loyalty that continues till now, it also ushered in a love for music that has helped bring some balance into my existence. It definitely gave significance in my life just like the Sony’s World’s First Noise Canceling Portable Music Player, which makes me appreciate music even more.

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My first Sony experience is with my Sony cassette player

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