about "lunch with Kwas"    Welcome to the first edition of lunch with Kwas. Kwas Inc has had a busy summer, using traditional agency "downtime" to clean house and spiff up our Web site. The full new site will launch in October, and will feature new work from clients such as United Technologies, Domaine Carneros and Deutsche Bank. Meanwhile, this girl took the "downtime" opportunity to spiff herself up as well -- recharging my creative batteries with three weeks in Italy. The trip began in Rome with visits to the main attractions, then on to a private tour of Azienda Fratelli Pighin' Vineyards in Udine, just north of Venice. After bouncing around and between Venice, Florence and Cattolica, I ultimately landed on the southern coast of Tuscany where I bonded with the grappa-drinking locals. The trip gave me the full experience -- from the classics, such as the celestial St. Peter's and the pulse-pounding David, to the current -- the ever-so-hip dance club Capocaccia in Florence and the recently renovated Hotel Monaco in Venice. Dreams of opening a Kwas Inc Milano office aside, I'm refreshed and ready for the busy fall season. Being immersed in a totally different culture just helped to intensify my belief in the power of branding. I couldn't help but be intrigued by the Smart Car (www.smart.com) -- the two-year-old offspring of a strategic alliance between Mercedes and Swatch. Never mind that it's nearly small enough to fit on your wrist -- the collective effort does deliver a sporty vehicle with a timeliness in design that's reflective of the positives of both brands. From the product itself to its advertising, the blending of these two brands is seamless. Smart fits right into the European culture and ultimately, if we're lucky, should gain momentum in the States. Here's a joint venture between two mega brands that's, already nicely put, smart. Whatever happened to Simply Red, the '80s band that pledged, "I'll keep holdin' on"? Oddly enough, they did. They're alive and well in CD players across Italy - from Roberto's in Venice all the way down to Guido's in Tuscany. Their latest efforts on their own label -- the original "Home" and the covers on "All for Love" -- have critics calling them "global superstars masquerading as an urban sophisticate cult item." And look out, they are headed our way. Talk about a melody for brand resurgence: old + old = new! Kwas Inc offers these materials for your information and entertainment. They represent the sole view and opinion of Kwas, and when applicable Kwas Inc and its affiliates. ©2003 Kwas Inc. All rights reserved.