Co-branding: Like any tool, use it wisely.

Lately, we’ve seen a spate of spots using other brands to make their point.

Procter & Gamble has interrupted new product launches for Charmin and Bounce to sell its Old Spice Brand. The idea is that Old Spice is so powerful it busts into other people’s commercials. Funny. Catchy. A real idea drives it. But I forgot all about the Bounce and Charmin—Old Spice ruled the day. They’re all P & G brands, so maybe it was a smart play to grab some attention for a small line extension budget with a high-profile mainline brand.

In a recent Super Bowl spot, GE had pub mates salute their GE turbine-making brethren with a round of Buds. Made sense—saluting the unsung hero with the king of beers.

Even Chevy got into the act—again, at the Super Bowl. In the post-apocalyptic world, only four Chevy drivers survive. Dave, the Ford guy, perishes. A survivor offers his sad friend a Twinkie—an inside joke that Twinkies could survive Armageddon. I remembered the Twinkies. The Silverado, not so much.

When it gains attention for both, excellent. When the product supports the proposition, excellent. When it’s a punch line, as with the Silverado spot, be careful. The gag may overpower the spot.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxFYYP8040A[/youtube]