others because they didnt agree with the values she represented. Consumer product brands can suffer the same rejection and even consumer backlash when they cross the line of moral acceptability. Marketers sometimes point to the passion and emotion that using sex to sell can create among consumers. Others demonstrate the effec- tiveness of brand personalities and positioning strategies that pro- duce the same passion and emotional connection, but in a way that appeals to the values of the masses. Enter Neil Diamond.     Diamonds Are Forever   If Madonna is about sexual explicitness, continual reinvention, and shaking up the status quo, Neil Diamond is the anti-Madonna. Occa- sionally sporting simple black outfits but eternally radiating a 1970s look and feel, Diamond has captured a place in the heart of America by peddling nostalgia. Singing an array of his 60-plus hits during his concert performances, Diamond lets his audiences relive a time in which things were a little less hectic, a bit more patriotic, and much more innocent. This combination of crooner and rock star excites fans from ages 18 to 80-with more of them representing the 55-plus crowd. In fact, you might be a Neil Diamond fan, having to suppress humming and toe tapping when you recall "Sweet Caroline," "I Am I Said," and "Cherry, Cherry." But you might also choose not to scream your adoration from the rooftops, because he doesnt represent the kind of cool other rock stars do. The music industry may not get very excited about Diamond, but his fans do. When it comes to concerts, fans snatch up tickets with lightning speed; consequently, he outpaces and outsells many of his younger, hipper, and sexier counterparts. Some industry trade publi- cations report that Diamond was the biggest solo touring act of the 1990s, due in part to an appeal that cuts a wide demographic swath of ages and musical tastes. His 2002 tour generated $52 million in 68 cities, making it the fourth-largest tour of the year. From his first hit, "Cherry, Cherry," in the 1960s to his most recent, "Three Chord     Opera," fans have rewarded him with 60 hits, 38 of them in the top 40. He even inspires Neil Diamond imitators-both black and white versions-in numbers that rival those of Elvis. Tribute bands, the musical equivalent of supermarket private labels, are found across the country, playing and singing Diamond songs in venues including Las Vegas, Nevada, and Branson, Missouri. Attend a Neil Diamond concert and you may think youve walked into an aerobics class for 60-year-olds. But amid a sea of gray hair are plenty of young people, often a bevy of young ladies in the first row, singing along and shouting their adoration. Dont tell these women Diamond isnt sexy-to them hes very sexy, but in a conservative, wholesome, safe, non-Madonna-like way. Men and women alike enjoy singing the songs theyve come to love, swaying to romantic ballads, clapping to patriotic tunes, and gyrating to 1970s-style pop classics. From the stage, the 62-year-old songster holds his fans in his hands, getting the respect that a career spanning four decades de- serves. Though he may be far less sexual than Madonna, his stage presence, talent, and