It's a Crazy, Mixed-Up World

I spotted an ad recently in the paper for Best Buy. Or was it the iPhone? Well I know it was for AT&T. But Verizon, too. Huh?

Four logos in an ad, including those of competing companies. AT&T and Verizon? Sure-everyone knows they're waging an intergalactic struggle for the hearts and minds of iPhone users. But don't think Best Buy and Apple aren't keeping a close eye on one another as well. They compete-and will compete-more than we may think.

Ever-shifting alliances in branding are no less complicated than global geopolitical alliances (though fortunately with much lower stakes). Today's ally may also be a competitor who tomorrow becomes an adversary. It's a game not of loyalty, but of interests, in keeping with the chilling proverb that "the enemy of my enemy is my friend". As soon as a brand's interests change, so will its alliances, and these days it can happen in the blink of an eye. This game is not for the faint of heart.

It is, however, fun to watch. And it's good for consumers. As an iPhone user who's been stuck with AT&T for three years, I couldn't wait for Verizon to start offering service. But I learned today (via an AT&T ad) that only its network "lets your iPhone talk and surf the web at the same time," something I do quite frequently. It makes me wonder what my best option really is. But the fact that I have options is awesome.

Hey, Alltel-what's new?
Steve McKee is president of McKee Wallwork Cleveland and author of When Growth Stalls: How It Happens, Why You're Stuck, and What to Do About It . Find him on Twitter and LinkedIn .