VW +Channel 4

VW Channel 4 Idents Elephant from Graeme Hall on Vimeo.

VW Channel 4 Idents Rocket from Graeme Hall on Vimeo.

VW Channel 4 Idents Football from Graeme Hall on Vimeo.

VW Channel 4 Idents Coconut from Graeme Hall on Vimeo.

Free Starbucks ice cream for Facebook users

Facebook users can already send each other real flowers, candy and drinks. Now they can add ice cream to that list as well—free, no less—thanks to a new promotion from Starbucks and Unilever.

Beginning this week and extending through July 19, Starbucks and partner Unilever are giving away coupons for more than 800 free pints of the newly launched Starbucks Ice Cream on Facebook every hour. US-based users of the social networking site need only visit the special promotion page on Facebook at the beginning of any hour and be ready to click quickly before that hour's set of coupons is gone. If they succeed in claiming one, they can choose to send it to any friend on or off Facebook, or they can elect instead to treat themselves. Either way, the coupon can then be redeemed for the Starbucks Ice Cream flavour of the recipient's choice: Caramel Macchiato, Mocha Frappuccino, Java Chip Frappuccino or Coffee. There is a limit of one coupon per household; those who fail at first to get one can keep trying, as a total of some 20,000 free coupons will be given away each day before the contest's end.

One part Facebook perk and one part tryvertising, the wisely targeted Starbucks Ice Cream promotion is sure to win many a fan for the new ice cream, particularly since there's almost certainly a significant overlap among devotees of the two brands. Pick the right audience, give away ice cream in July, and it's hard to go wrong! ;-) (Related: Food blogger turned purveyor & intermediary.)

Website: www.starbucksicecream.com — apps.facebook.com/starbucksicecream

Spotted by: Brandweek via Raymond Kollau

Maybe it's time to cooperate, not compete

We tend to focus on our competitors and how to beat them. Take a moment to reflect on your potential 'cooperators' - brands that you could work with to strengthen your position in the market.

Maybe it's time to cooperate

Cooperate on product distribution
In 2008 Dunkin' Donuts partnered with J.M. Smucker to distribute a packaged coffee product to roughly 40,000 supermarkets and stores in the US. The result, US$115 million in sales. How can you cooperate with other brands to increase your distribution?

Cooperate on product design
One of my favorites: Italian sports brand Fila produced a line of Ferrari inspired footwear. This is just one of many examples of footwear brands cooperating with automotive brands to offer something extra. Levi's developed RedWire DLX jeans which feature an iPod dock and controller joystick built into the pockets. Which brands could you cooperate with on product design?

Cooperate to build your industry
Sometimes it makes sense to 'grow the pie' rather than compete for a slice. The WoolMark brand is a great example of this - promoting pure wool and all its benefits. The WoolMark brand helps to protect and grow the use of wool, as it competes with alternative fibers. Very useful if you work in the wool industry. How could you cooperate within your industry, to 'grow the pie'?

Cooperate on customer experience
When United Airlines began serving Starbucks coffee in-flight it gained passenger approval (and great PR too!), hotels use branded toiletries, cars use branded hifi, etc, etc. How can you cooperate with other brands to enhance your customer experience?

Brand cooperation can be very powerful, ask yourself:

Which brands can I cooperate with, and how, to strengthen my position in the market?