jam, don't underestimate the power of peer pressure. it's really there. my mgr's son also requested to have some water bottle of dunno what cartoon character lah. at first my mgr refused but then he thrown tantrum and cry until my mgr buay tahan. turned out, all his classmates have and cos he doesn't have, he's left out of the clique. for us, having friends in school is impt lor cos that's the thing that make school more fun. even at work, also got such peer pressures. my lunch group are more of the shopping type and their tastes are very high end kind...... at first i under pressure cos each time lunch time means, mango lah, zara lah, and dunno what other brands. but for us, we know how to manage that expectations cos we been thru more and know how not to fall into that. for me, i just do more window shopping and don't bring too much cash and credit card out to resist temptations. but for kids, they dunno how to manage that and so the only way to be in is to have what others have.