con- sumers associate with the endorsers or the music they hear in the ads. When the endorser is trusted by consumers, they are more accepting of the ad claims, depending on how well the product and the endorser fit together. Thats one reason the Elton John ads endorsing Diet Coke work so well-he obviously needs the product and appears to really like it.       Everything Goes Better with Coke   One of the most memorable television commercials of all time featured Elton John promoting Diet Coke. In the ad, Elton John plays a piano in a nightclub, joined by famous celebrities from the past. Using high-tech recreation, Louis Armstrong blows a trumpet riff from a Diet Coke jin- gle as he stands next to Johns piano. Humphrey Bogart walks into the nightclub as though he is Rick Blaine, walking into his own club in Casablanca. James Cagney orders drinks and appears to smile at his modern lady companion as she rests her elbow on his shoulder. The shots of Bogart came from All Through the Night (1942), Armstrong was lifted from High Society (1956), and Cagney was heisted from The Roaring Twenties (1939) and Public Enemy (1931). Computers black out the background of the old movies frame by frame, keeping only the images of the stars, all now appearing to be in a contemporary setting. This transgenerational ad not only spans the ages of film, it spans the ages of cola markets, and John delivers the punch line with a truly inspired slogan-"Drink Diet Coke-Just for the Taste of It." Advertising experts for many years have understood the power of a USP-a unique selling proposition. "Just for the Taste of It" is a short, memorable statement of the principal benefit desired by cus- tomers. Elton John and his famous pals from the past deliver it in a manner guaranteed to attract the attention of television audiences and download the message into their long-term memories. Thats what a great commercial should do, allowing consumers to retrieve the USP when theyre ready to purchase. Elton John also relates to his fans beyond the television commercial. At his concerts, an ice bucket is always nearby, and the seemingly bot- tomless Diet Coke can is in his hand between songs and by the piano during the performance. But it doesnt stop there. Weve watched his performance, admiring his marketing flair as he makes sure the Diet Coke logo is displayed to the audience, usually in a position that the I-Mag projection cameras cant miss. Add to the campaign his credi- bility as an endorser because of his lifelong struggle with weight, and its easy to understand why the relationship between Diet Coke and Elton John is one of the classic success stories in the role of sponsor-