Fortunately, in the last few months I spent living in Oregon I was able to find some great microbreweries, stopping me from getting back on a plane down under as soon as I could. But one day I was sitting at a bar checking out the drinks menu, when I noticed something strange. Right under the Dom Perignon there was a beer in the sparkling wine section – Miller High Life. Why? Because it is the “Champagne of Beers” of course!

If it wasn’t for the US Armed Forces, men would probably still be taking a trip to the barber shop for a shave every few days. Why? Because during World War I, to supply all of its troops the U.S. government ordered 3.5 million disposable razors and 36 million blades from a new company called Gillette.

As marketers, when we are focused on our product we often put the blinders on and forget about how our customers actually consume our product, with other complimentary products.

On a recent trip to the supermarket I picked up this jug of milk to find an Oreo’s ad on the side, reminding me of probably the best example of complimentary product advertising there is.

Travelling through South America I have been exposed to more Che Guevara products than I care to remember. But the fact that the image of socialist revolutionary Che Guevara has been used as a capitalist tool to sell everything from t-shirts, to beers, to condoms, must have Che rolling over in his grave.