Mini-Post: Gatorade in Thailand

This is Gatorade, right? Anyone speak Thai?

Rebecca’s cousin recently informed me that the water we had been drinking throughout our travels in Thailand, the cheapest we could find, was distilled water. Distilled water, he informed us, leeches minerals out of your body, disrupting your electrolyte balance. So to counteract this, I decided to go with my tried-and-true method of rehydration: Gatorade. It has valuable electrolytes, and it’s something I’m familiar with; I’ll just water it down with my distilled water to counteract the sugar. Luckily, with Gatorade’s excellent branding, I was able to find a bottle even though I don’t speak Thai. So here’s to Gatorade, one of America’s most recognizable brands, for saving me from passing out on those hot Thai days.

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You Get What You Pay For: My $26 Fleece

When we planned this trip to Southeast Asia, we knew that we would be encountering some wacky weather. For most of the trip, it was going to be hot. But for about a month, we anticipated some stormy and cool weather. That month happened to fall while we were in Vietnam, specifically in Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital. We arrived on February 15, and for the duration of our 8-day stay (while we recovered from illness), it was cold and rainy, for which I was completely unprepared. So, I decided to buy a fleece jacket. And in my successful outing, I realized that the way I shop at home is really stupid.

Mountain Dew in Asia, The World`s Advertising Capitol

As far as brands go, Mountain Dew may be one of America’s most recognized. It has colors that are unique, it has a distinctive feel, and its font and logo are very recognizable. I always know when I am looking at a Mountain Dew ad. It isn’t often that I seek out Mountain Dew ads, or pay attention much at home. But it became apparent that they have distinguished themselves quite successfully when I arrived in Bangkok earlier this week.

Leaving Las Vegas, Sort Of

So my previous travel post was about Rotorua, New Zealand, which everyone refers to as Rotovegas. I mentioned that no one could describe to us what they meant by associating it with Las Vegas, partially because few New Zealanders had been to Las Vegas itself. So why, then, the association? And what does that tell us about the Las Vegas brand?

Aloha, Hawaiian Airlines!

Branding is fun to experience, particularly when done well. And I will admit, I was pretty sucked into the Aloha mentality by the successful expression of the Hawaiian Airlines brand.

As soon as you walk onto a Hawaiian Airlines plane, you are greeted by the relaxing, transporting sounds of native birds, the ukulele, and the Pacific Ocean. It’s almost as if you have already arrived. Forget that you were just felt up by a 300-pound security agent, or that someone got on the moving walkway to just stand there while you were racing to your flight. The flight attendants greet you with, “Aloha!” and “Mahalo.” You’re welcome, Hawaiian Airlines attendant; you’re welcome.