One can afford an Apple iPhone 4 but cannot afford to buy four bags of apples. This is a popular saying among university students that reflects how crazy they are about brands. 'Are you using an iPhone?' 'How much are your adidas shoes?' 'What cosmetics are you using?' Wu Ting, a student at Xinghai Conservatory of Music, knows all about the craze. 'I use brand-name cosmetics because a famous brand is a symbol of sophistication and taste,' says Wu. 'Everyone likes to be admired for their high class and good taste.' Wu's comments represent the thinking of many college students in Guangdong. A rough survey shows that at least one-third of the students at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies use an iPhone. Those who do not own one are considered to be lacking in taste. Many students go after brand names because they like to follow trends. 'I use an iPhone simply because most of my classmates use them,' says media student Liu Ning. There are also students who buy branded goods because they believe they are of superior quality. 'Name-brand products are usually of great quality and safe to use,' says a student from Guangdong Pharmaceutical University. 'Shoes from Li Ning and Nike are durable and comfortable.' Whether pursuing famous brands is rational or not is up for debate, but this phenomenon is very common. So where are the students getting the money to buy these expensive products? Chen Hao, a third-year university student, shares his secret: 'I have a part-time job. Every month, I earn 1,000 yuan (HK$1,225) or more, and it is enough for me to buy my favourite name-brand products.'