Practical association

Association is when you naturally think of two or more things as belonging to a group or sequence.  The letter "A" is associated with the alphabet and alligators.  Ketchup is often associated with french fries, but is also a condiment and thus associated with other condiments such as mustard, relish, and even bar-b-que sauce.

It is important to be aware of what people associate your products with.  You can force association through sales copy that brings up useful associations or by using comparisons.  The Mac vs PC campaign did a good job of associating personalities with computers.

Verizon uses a cute girl on a motorcycle to associate itself with speed.  McDonald's has long associated itself with happy children.

You can use association to increase perceived value, quality, interest, and even enjoyment.  What are you associated with?