I just read a good article in BusinessWeek about the pros and cons of co-branding. The article and accompanying slide show focus mostly on well-known co-branding efforts by large companies like Breyers and Hersheys or K-Mart and Martha Stewart Everyday, but it offers sound advice for small businesses as well. We tell our clients that a good rule of thumb is to treat a co-branding partnership like you would a marriage: choose a partner who complements you and reflects well on your taste and judgment, and who won't embarrass or overshadow you. It also helps if the other company is tall, dark, handsome, wealthy, handy with a set of tools, and willing to squish spiders, centipedes, and other undesirables.