Seattle is a city that attracts creative people and companies. Innovators choose this city to relocate as they want to be around like minded people and leave traditional values behind. The city has an abundance of creative artists, innovators, people with big ideas with forward thinking attitudes. With a population of only 600,000 people, Seattle is home to some big brands like Boeing, Starbucks and Microsoft.

Residents believe that their inspiration comes from the surrounding natural environment. Green space in the city has been considered in the master plan of the city. The plan included a park or playground close to every house. An inspiring city for anyone who is creative.

It shows the power of the Apple brand when a company releases a product with such high expectations. Their previous big release of the iphone was such a huge success that the benchmark for this new product was so high.

With all the hype around the release of the ipad, there has been a continuous stream of comments posted over the web. Supporters of Apple products all appreciate the company’s core brand attributes of design, technology, innovation and simplicity. Although there are very mixed reviews, the true brand advocates seem to be as passionate as ever about the new technology even though some have not physcially seen or used the ipad. Based on Apple’s track record they are certain it will be great. They feel assured that Apple always knows what they’re doing and they have a great track record. Such trust! That really shows the power of Apple’s branding.

London’s 2012 Olympic logo was specifically designed to appeal to a young, hip audience but research indicates that the London teenagers do not respond to it at all. They actually feel insulted that the logo was designed with their interests in mind with no understanding of their culture. London teenagers are proud, they love their city and they’re savvy about branding. They’re well aware of the brands they connect with and the ones they don’t. They are embarrassed by the image the London Olympic logo is projecting of their city.

The highest profile tennis players greatly influence the sales of fashion brands. They are chosen to market a brand not only for their tennis skills and performance but also for their personality, charisma and appeal to their fans. Their beauty, style, cuteness and appeal are all marketing tools that are used by brand managers.

Tennis players used to wear white, simple outfits as the whole focus was on their tennis. There used to be strict regulations and guidelines around their dress code. Now, tournaments like the Australian Open are watched not only for their tennis but also for the fashion. The outfits are colourful with new and interesting designs to create attention, inspiration and sales.

The fans connect to a player’s sense of style and personality and are highly influenced by what they’re wearing. During the Australian Open, the tennis fashion brand, Lacoste who sponsors Roddick, notices a huge increase in their product sales every time he plays a match. His fans are inspired by his look and Lacoste sells anything he wears.

Alessi is a great example of how a company has built their business around the importance of design. They understand that design adds so much value to their products and overall brand. It is fundamental to their business vision. They believe that all domestic products are worthy of being well designed and the creative thinking behind each design should be as important as designing a contemporary building.

Alessi has commissioned some of the top architects and designers to create products in their collection. Many of the products have become design icons. Another key feature of their brand is the playful and quirky design of so many of their products. Again these have become signature pieces and so recognisable as an Alessi design. They have created such a unique difference in the market place and this distinctive design aesthetic has lasted the test of time.