Really nice article in Advertising Age reporting on Belvedere Vodka's efforts to get its consumers to refer to it as The Belve (pronounced Bel-vie).
Brands that generate genuine affection: like Jack Daniels, Captain Morgan and I guess even Coca-Cola (is this how Coke got started?) have worked hard to earn their nicknames. It will be really interesting to see if it is possible to short-cut the process and market your way into a more intimate relationship with your users.
