onventional wisdom has it that America is bitterly divided into opposing camps: the "red states" and the "blue states." But in many cases, those camps are remarkably like-minded when it comes to their attitudes about brands, according to a survey commissioned by WPP Group�s J Walter Thompson.


Red state/blue state differences were largely muted when people were asked which Fortune 50 companies make "a positive contribution to American life." Johnson & Johnson and Microsoft led the way, and a divide was only evident for a handful of companies, such as UPS, Ford and Lowe's. Asked to nominate the best American brands, both groups chose Coca-Cola and Microsoft at the top. People who live in blue states - those with more heavily urban populations and which fell in Democrat John Kerry�s column - do have a greater predilection toward technology brands - while the red states - won by President Bush - lean favorably toward more familiar and traditional brands.
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