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John,

I had a conversation with Jeff Kershner last night about brand awareness and how it relates to online marketing.  He made a great point that I think can be echoed here (even though his point was more to social media).  If you have a brand, as a dealership like Auto Nation, then you have to build things around the brand.  It does not become a matter of what Honda or Porsche is doing - yes you incorporate that - but more about what you're doing.  This is why I will continue to brand all the Checkered Flag websites with a Checkered Flag look and feel.  I want people to know that even if they're looking at Hyundai and then looking at a BMW, they're in the right place.  I don't see Best Buy branding their Sony page any differently than they brand their Samsung page.  It is all Best Buy.

At the end of he day I own a Samsung TV, but I researched it, talked about it with, and bought it from Best Buy.  Samsung just built the thing. 

A different scenario is Apple.  This is a manufacturer and a retailer.  I shop on Apple.com, research on Apple.com, and buy from an Apple retail outlet.....and if I'm in a hurry, sometimes Best Buy.  But in Apple's case, I much prefer to use their services - they're incredible!  But if I was an Apple retailer (like Best Buy), I would still brand my retail website in my image and maybe incorporate a few small Apple-image details on the pages related to Apple.

BUT - WE ARE GETTING WAAAAAY OFF TOPIC HERE.  THIS THREAD IS ABOUT LIVE CHAT.