Or maybe you (not anyone particular here, but a cc.com poster) is more connected to the climbing life so you have more friends that are on the fringe with those that are wannabee "ambassador atheletes" and you even know some that are. So thus you're more sensitive and irritated by the brand hoes, because you know them personally.
The whole process of becoming a person who gets all their rad gear from rad gear companies is all about self promotion and whoring yourself out, for the most part. Remember when not reporting your FA as the rage? Those guys didn't get shit for free gear.
the cool part, if you can fool the gear companies into making you a part of their brand, is that you get some free or cheap gear and maybe even some travel paid for. And good on those that do it, and I actually can think of people that I don't like who have succeeded at this game...but I can't think of a lot of people who don't deserve it. They worked hard, they climbed more, they took more risks, whatever. They pimped themselves, and they got paid (however much or little).
Meanwhile the weekend worriers gotta foot the bill.
But nothing sells gear like seeing someone you know and trust using it to climb rad ass stuff. For me, if Rat and the Big Baller use it, then it will be good enough for me.