Two interesting articles today. In both instances, consumers are choosing a value-add over lower costs. Interesting thoughts, contradictory to what we would expect in a recession period, but great for brands to truly think about. How and where can they add the most value?

• The most popular idea on My Starbucks Idea — by a 9,000-vote margin, with about 60,000 votes — is for Starbucks to promote “conversation” at its coffeehouses. 
• Marking a turnaround after a decade of decline, consumers now more often cite product performance as a reason to buy a given brand of gasoline, according to NPD Group analyst David Portalatin. Given record prices, it’s “a little surprising,” Portalatin says.