I can almost guarantee that if a Kirkham was parked in front of the Yorba Linda/Anaheim Hills Costco with a sign on it that said, "You can buy THIS CAR from this store!" that someone would buy it within 30-60 days. There's a lot of money in the parking lot (Mercedes, H2s, etc.) and enough merchandise flying out of there (that's why I call it the "$300 store"...you can't walk out without spending $300) to prove that big money does shop there consistently.
Savvy marketing and no real brand dilution. But if my last name was Ferrari or Rolex (i.e. two examples of
internationally recognized brands that are largely associated with wealth), I'd probably fire my marketing person if they suggested Costco.
-Dean