US brands stronger or weaker?

MSNBC and Forbes take the high road and proclaim Us Brands still going strong while the Daily Herald says that a survey shows; "30,000 consumers in 30 major economies found that those who felt an increasing alienation from American culture were also likely to report a growing disinclination to eat at McDonald's, or to buy Nike shoes."

Zaman Daily reports that Turkish consumers are shunning US brands, based on The Roper Report 2003, from RoperASW (NYC). Down in SouthAfrica, IOL read the ropert report with interest and concluded that american brands are indeed slipping. Or showing no change at all on the brand-power index, like Coca-Cola and American Express.
Back in april The Guardian ran an article warning about 'flag waving' ads, saying that Advertising agencies in the UK warned clients in the UK and US to play down the nationality.

Meanwhile, Chevy Chase stars in a commercial for Turkeys brand Cola Turka. Much like Mecca Cola in france, Zam Zam Cola from Iran (also sold in Denmark)and Qibla Cola in Britain, this cola is marketed as a political statement alternative to Coca-Cola .

the Chase commercial as described on Canada.com;

In the commercial, a cowboy who introduces Cola Turka to Chevy Chase holds Islamic praying beads and passionately talks about the Turkish soccer league champion Besiktas.

At the end of the commercial, Chase grows a mustache - a trademark of Turkish men - and his family begin singing a popular nationalist march in Turkish after drinking Cola Turka. His children kiss the hands of grandparents in respect for a Turkish tradition when they leave the house and his wife pours a bucket of water into the street behind their car to make sure their trip is safe and easy like the flow of water - another Turkish tradition.