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When one imagines the Great Depression, the first things to come to mind are probably images of hobos and soup lines, government infrastructure projects and FDR.

However, another, even more important legacy of that time is the idea of thrift. When I was a kid, many of my friends' grandparents were survivors of the Depression, and they tended to share a disdain for eating out, a desire to save everything, and a belief that homemade items were morally and physically superior to anything that could be purchased in a store. Tied in with these prejudices lay a loyalty to the products that had served them so well in the worst of times.

A few months ago, I explored brand addiction phenomenon in my review of Kevin Roberts' book Lovemarks. Basically, Roberts argues that "lovemarks" are brands that evoke a deep, unbreakable loyalty and are intricately tied to the user's identity. Far from weakening the lovemark bond, recessions, depressions, faltering stock markets and foreclosed homes only make that bond deeper. In fact, the worse things get, the more many consumers will run for the comfort of their favorite products.