A couple from Kilgore, Texas, Craig and Sondra Harrington, have this thing about car names.

They are not car enthusiasts or employed in the automotive industry yet can’t resist Porsche, Audi and Lexus.

It appears the Harrington’s have a daughter named Lexus. To keep the car theme going they recently had twins and named them Porsche and Audi.

Both babies come with warranties. Can a “Baby” Mercedes be far behind?

The cute ute class originators, Honda’s CRV and Toyota’s RAV4 both seem to have lost a bit of their distinctive style with their latest redesigns. That’s not to say that they aren’t great vehicles, but they seem to have lost a bit of personality as they’ve matured. Even still, any newcomer to this market is fighting a bit of an uphill battle as brand loyalty runs deep with owners of these vehicles.

While the old standbys may be having a bit of an identity crisis happening, Nissan’s first entry into the segment is unquestionably a Nissan. Perhaps you could call it the Rogue child of the Murano, as the 2008 Nissan Rogue shares so many styling cues and tech details with it’s older brother.
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With the rebirth of The New Chrysler, the marketing gurus at Auburn Hills have their work cut out for them as they try to reinvent the brand. Cutting out in fact is exactly what they have in mind to promote the 2008 Dodge Caravan. Given that families are the most likely to be in the market for a new minivan, what better market to tackle than millions of craft obsessed Moms?

With the help of Better Homes & Gardens scrapbooking experts, Dodge will attempt to break the Guiness World Record for the World’s Largest Photo Album. How do they intend to break this cut and paste record? By inviting consumers to add their memories to Dodge Caravan Page In History album, Dodge hopes to fill a 20 page, 9 x 12 book with Caravan memories. Oh yes, that’s 9 feet by 12 feet! This is going to be one BIG photo album.

To learn how you can join the paper cutting fun, read the full press release after the break
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It’s funny sometimes how brand perception can vary across continents. While public perception of Ford’s quality has struggled for decades in North America, in Europe it’s a different story. Ford of Europe and the UK has long had a top reputation for building good cars.

Reader’s Digest polled over 24,000 respondents from 15 European countries about what brands they trust most. Ford won it’s division as Britain’s most trusted car brand. Now if they could just get that loyalty across to the North American public they might get things on track.

Press release after the break
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Any good manager will spend some time observing a new company before going ahead and making their mark. It seems that Alan Mulally has spent the last couple of months wisely and now he’s beginning to flex his muscles a bit. Not only is he going to don his best polyester suit (will the white shoes match the belt?) but it looks like he’s also taking a run at the branding department.
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Thanks to The Sociable Critic we have this wonderful Oregonian Bibendum.

It’s amazing that this oddball assembly of spare tires is instantly recognizable as the Michelin mascot. Such is the power of a strong brand.
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