He's a young heartthrob in Thailand, and he's got record endorsement deals. Jirayu "James" Tangsrisuk has made a name for himself and snagged lots of sponsorship deals, and a huge (for Thailand) ad deal, too. But as in the U.S., lots of observers wonder if there's commensurate ROI. Said Chalit Limpanavech, vice-president of the Thailand Marketing Association, "There is no effective means to prove if the payment is worth it."

Back in the early '90s, research showed that 91% of 6-year-olds (surveyed) knew that the Camel cigarettes cartoon character logo was about cigarettes. That's about equal to the number of kids who could match Mickey Mouse with the Disney Channel logo. A new study finds that cigarette manufacturers' efforts to reach young children internationally in low- and middle-income countries is pretty much just as effective.

American Express, Burberry, Lincoln, Oreo, Red Bull, Converse, Taco Bell, Philips, State Farm and Under Armour are all brands that have leveraged music in one way or another to boost brand awareness and appeal to younger consumers. Red Bull's eponymous "Music Academy" is a good example: each year the company brings in students and celebrated artists to a major international city. It has its own music label, Red Bull Records, that works with independent up-and-coming artists.