Online Dating for Brands
	What do United Airlines and Starbucks coffee have in common? Take one of United\'s U.S. flights, and you\'ll find out. On every domestic flight, you\'re no longer served coffee. You\'re served Starbucks coffee. In fact, the deal between the two companies requires flight attendants to say \"Starbucks Coffee\" when offering in-flight beverages. What we\'re seeing is the trend toward brand alliances. Brands that are mutually complementary team up with each other and with their partners\' brand missions. A quick look at several major U.S. supermarkets reveals they offer Starbucks coffee. Starbucks cafés are situated in the stores. Starbucks analysed its traffic flow and concluded people are in the mood for a cup of something while waiting around. Successfully selling coffee to such customers optimises revenue flow for both the coffee chain and host establishments. Thus, brand alliances are born that benefit both the consumer and the bottom line.
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	Made In...
	Imagine you were offered a choice to purchase two different cars. Nothing was said about the cars, not even the price. The only information you have would be the country of origin. The first car is produced in Turkey – the second in Switzerland. Which one would you choose? Most people wouldn\'t hesitate. They\'d select the Swiss car, because Switzerland has established a reputation for products that are high quality, precise, secure and of good design. A country brand is everything. It\'s a factor in attracting tourists, trade agreements and consumers\' perception that earns respect. This respect extends to its citizens, and the way they are treated the world over.
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	Good Old Fashioned Online Brands
	Social values redolent of the \'50s, \'60s, and even \'70s are quietly being readopted by brands. These values are becoming more strongly expressed in the communications of brands plugged into the trend. Why is this happening? How can you leverage this? Why is simple. As the global community endures crisis after crisis -- the SARS epidemic, an ever-present threat of political instability, shadows of war, and continual damage to already fragile economies -- humans long for stability. We\'re united in a need for something we can trust, rely on, and think about with joy. Aside from the macro situation of global instability, there\'s the micro situation of individual uncertainty. Close to 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. The strong family unit celebrated in earlier decades\' wholesome sitcoms and movies seems an anachronism. Nostalgia encourages parents and kids alike to think about the past in romantic terms. The past is an icon of stability.
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