In response to Ariana Barone: Blimps

Ariana posed the question "Have you ever had fell victim to the positve affects of a blimp?"

It might be that the areas I frequent are too rural but I have never actually saw a blimp used as advertising before. Personally, I don't think that I would be taken in by the relatively uniqueness of the advertisement. I have seen planes with the streaming banners behind them but the uniqueness of that advertisement didn't make me any more apt to buy if I wasn't interested in the product. Do you think the uniqueness of the advertisement influences whether or not you will purchase a product?

Naomi Klein Article

I found it interesting how she discussed branding as it relates to companies. I find it a little bit disturbing how companies like the independent military contractors can just rebrand to completely erase any association with the previous company. I had heard a little about Blackwater's screw up but I was not aware that they just rebranded the company to Xe Services. I think it is a little weird to describe companies as producers of ideas apposed to product. I believe the analogy is a little off because I would never buy a product just for the idea that goes along with it but it does have truth that maybe the only thing produced by the company is the idea or design since the rest is subcontracted. I also found it was interesting that some companies are both trying to embrace their brand and disengage from it at the same time, like with Starbucks and its "community personality" where people can bring their own music and social causes. Do you think this is so Starbucks can hit a wider market? What aspects does this "unbranded" Starbucks have that the branded Starbucks doesn't have?