helps the organization through tough times, carrying it into higher profitability during good times.       Beco ming Part of the Fabric of America   When evaluating the cultural adoption of a brand, the brands that last, marketers should ask, "If we were painting a picture of American 30 | Br a nd s Th at Roc k     life, would our brand be a part of it?" For example, a portrait of a typical American shopping scene would likely include a Wal-Mart greeter, while a holiday shopping scene would feature bustling shop- pers toting Bloomingdales iconic big brown bags in New York or vis- iting Marshall Fields at Christmas in Chicago. An outdoor cookout scene would likely include a Weber grill, bottles of Heinz ketchup, Oscar Mayer hot dogs and Frenchs mustard (who, during the Iraq War, quickly explained that, "Our name may be French, but were not yellow"). Successful brands, like legendary bands, try to hear the "background music" that accompanies these scenes to determine whether they are part of the soundtrack of consumers lifestyles. How do your brands fare? How prevalent are they in the snap- shots that define your customers lives and fit their consumption patterns? Your brand helps establish a relationship-an emotional connection-with consumers and society for your product or organization. One of the valuable lessons rock and roll offers people involved in marketing and branding is how it evolved from its ethnic roots to become part of mainstream America, spotlighting what it takes for innovations, products, and brands to become accepted by an entire culture. Analyzing this process in the most successful legendary bands discloses that to achieve cultural adoption, a band (or brand) should have relevance to people in a culture, represent a culture, and have influence on a culture.     Its Only Rock and Roll But I Like It   If you think rock and roll burst onto the scene with the introduction of Bill Haley and the Comets, you are a few decades late and a few shades too white. Rock and roll evolved from what was known during the 1940s and 1950s as rhythm and blues (R&B). It had roots up and down the Mississippi River, starting from New Orleans and Memphis, traveling north to Chicago, and fanning out in both directions to