More and more, brands are "opening up" their brands by making them "share-able" -- how they get used and where they show up, to be enjoyed by various online user communities.

Being "share-able" is not enough.

"Share-worthy" should be the goal.

Such as the picture at right. The Montreal Canadiens know exactly how to draw your eyes to their logo. And now that it is on the Internet, that brand logo placement can be shared with far more than just the people who saw the woman wearing the outfit that day.

BMW Mini Cooper advertising may have started the trend of placing brands in unusual settings a decade ago, later explained by media thinker Seth Godin as a form of unusual and remarkable "purple cow" marketing.

With online viral content, user-generated customized mash-ups, "green screen challenges", customized theme avatars and various social media platforms, brand "sharing" among people is stronger than ever...allowing marketers to participate and engage in meaningful advertising campaigns by giving people a chance to develop a deeper relationship with their favorite brands.

Brands know they have to be part of the action online by offering their brands in "share-able" and "share-worthy" ways.

In the end, brand logo placement online impacts marketing bottom line results...and cheeky social media buzz campaigns often keep brands from falling behind the competition.