Category: technology
Chicago-based beer maker Pabst, plans to relocate its headquarters to Los Angeles this summer. The company has not commented on reasons for the move, but Eric Schmidt, an analyst with Beverage Information, says the Metroupolos family, which purchased the company last summer, will likely “move aggressively to rebuild Pabst brands.” Two family members live in LA. Latimes.com 5/14/11
Skechers Shape-ups, toning sneakers promoted to adults, are now being pitched to young girls. The Parents Television Council say’s Skechers advertising emphasizes popularity, thinness and attractiveness, and encourages young girls to look like older girls. Skechers says Shape-ups for Girls promote exercise and fitness. CBS News 5/13/11
Yum Brands, owners of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, wants to increase its 27.2% stake in “Little Sheep” a chain of hot pot restaurants in China. NYTimes.com 5/13/11.
Walmart (WMT) plans to acquire a minority stake in the holding company of Yihaodian, a fast-growing e-commerce company in China with significant sales of groceries, baby, consumer electronics and other items. Forbes 5/13/11
Burberry plans to boost sales in far eastern markets by using its “Britishness” to differentiate itself in a luxury market dominated by European brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci. Guardian.co.uk 5/13/11
Facebook is being accused of hypocrisy for promoting transparency while anonymously trying to persuade reporters to write stories critical of the privacy implications of Google’s search feature Social Circle. NYTimes 5/13/11
Procter & Gamble (PG) says consumers are increasingly choosing its brands over store brands, a sign of an improved economy. The company plans to raise prices on products including Pampers diapers, Iams pet food and Head & Shoulders shampoo but is keeping prices down on lower tier products such as Luvs diapers. Businessweek 5/12/11
Prestige Brands (PBH) nearly doubled its fourth-quarter profit on strong over-the-counter product sales, helped by acquisitions and growth of its five core brands. The company makes products including Clear Eyes, NightGuard, Dermoplast, Sleep-Eze, Comet and Spic and Span. Foxbusiness.com 5/12/11.
Maidenform is extending its brand with the launch of Maidenform Swimwear, in partnership with Malibu Dream Girl. PRNewswire 5/12/11
Apple is the world’s most valuable brand according to Brandz top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2011. Download report here.
New Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby says one major finding of a recent Volvo brand audit is that the company "must redefine its legacy of leadership in safety by not only keeping up structural and design safety in its cars, but also blaze a new trail of safety when it comes to onboard electronics and communications” AdAge Global 3/4/11
The National Pork Board has replaced 25 year tagline "The Other White Meat," with a new tagline: "Pork, Be Inspired,” which the board says goes beyond providing basic information to positioning pork as a versatile ingredient. The new tagline is accompanied by a new logo. Advertising Age 3/4/11
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and NBC’s consumer products division has launched “Late Night Snack” in honor of Jimmy Fallon and his Late Night Show. The ice cream combines potato chips, caramel swirl, fudge and vanilla bean ice cream. AdFreak 3/4/11
Apple tops Fortune’s list of the 50 most admired companies from their survey of business people. Rounding out the top five is Google at number 2, Berkshire Hathaway 3, Southwest Airlines 4, and Procter & Gamble at 5. CNNMoney.com 3/3/11
Forrester says the Apple i Pad will claim 80% of the US tablet market in 2011, thanks to a product strategy that cultivates an emotional connection with consumers through an unrivaled app ecosystem, a channel that's a demo lab (The Apple Store) and excellent service from 'real humans.' Forrester Blogs 3/2/11
Super Bowl XLV was the most-watched US telecast of all-time and web hosting site GoDaddy.com saw the largest lift of any website in post-Super Bowl traffic, with a 41 percent increase in unique U.S. visitors during the week following the game compared to the week before. GoDaddy aired two commercials during the game with their 1st quarter ad starring Joan Rivers as the new GoDaddy spokesperson. NielsenWire 3/1/11
United Continental Holdings Inc. plans to launch an "interim" advertising campaign for the combined company on March 8th, and will utilize a new logo combining the United name with the globe used by Continental. Wall Street Journal 2/28/11
Although the Apple iPad has been positioned as a media consumption device, not for an enterprise environment, there are reports estimating that 65-80% of Fortune 100 companies have deployed or piloted the device. Túaw 2/14/11, All Things Digital 2/14/11
Apple CEO Steve Jobs is taking leave of absence from the company for the second time in two years, because of a medical condition. CNN 1/17/11
Love Justin Bieber? Chances are you’ll love these brands endorsed by the Bieber: JustBeats headphones & ear buds, Proactive acne cream, One Less Lonely Girl nail polish, My World scented dog tags and wristbands, and coming soon, Justin Bieber Snack Pack Pudding. Brandweek 1/16/11
Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) will add the Trenta, a 31 oz. size, to their cold beverage line-up in all U.S. coffee shops by May 3. Reuters 1/16/11 via HuffingtonPost.
Borders Group Inc. reportedly hopes $500 million in fresh capital can provide a bridge for the company over the next six to 12 months while it rearranges its business, enabling them to avoid bankruptcy. WSJ.com 1/15/11
Walt Disney Co will add at least 25 new and remodeled locations in North America and Europe in 2011 in the new, interactive format that first premiered in New York. The company plans to convert all 200 North American stores, 40+ locations in Japan and more than 100 outlets in Europe to the new format as part of a 5-year plan. Reuters 1/11/11
Safeway has signed Olympic figure skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi as a spokesperson for its “Lunchbox Winners” produce program. This program offers parents ideas for school lunches and snacks and supports the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters program. PromoMagazine 1/11/11
Nielsen HoldingsBV, which tracks consumer behavior ranging from what people watch on television to what they buy in stores, is aiming to raise as much as $1.7 billion in an initial public offering of common stock. The company will be listed under the symbol NLSN on the New York Stock Exchange. WSJ.com 1/10/11
Playboy Enterprises entered a definitive agreement with founder Hugh Hefner to take the company private. Heftner said the deal would give Icon Acquisition Holdings, a limited partnership Hefner controls, “the resources and flexibility to return Playboy to its unique position and to further expand our business around the world.” Adweek 1/10/11
Starbucks has dropped its name and "coffee" from its logo – the green and white female siren symbol is all that remains. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz says "We've allowed (the siren) to come out of the circle in a way that I think gives us the freedom and flexibility to think beyond coffee. Namedevelopment.com 1/6/11
Facebook is working on a mobile phone to counter the increasing power of the iPhone and Android platforms and the long term competitive threat to its apps. The company wants to integrate deeply into the contacts list and other core functions of the phone. Techcrunch 9/19/10
A Florida entrepreneur is relaunching the Commodore computer brand. Products include an update of Commodore's once popular C64 model, the former high-end Amiga brand and its AIO (All-in-One) computers in a keyboard.Commodore declared bankruptcy in 1994. BrandFreak 9/17/10
SYMS Corp, owner of Filene's Basement, has unveiled three new stores in Manhattan, Westchester County and Long Island with the mashup name fbSY (pronounced fib-see.) The company says the name makes sense in the age of Twittering and text messaging. Name Wire 9/17/10
As part of a new, externally focused, customer-centric mission to actively promote the local marketing platforms and solutions that local stations have to offer, the 57-year-old Television Bureau of Advertising is replacing its “Serving America’s Television Stations” tagline with “Local Media Marketing Solutions” and rebranding itself as TVB. TVB.org 9/16/10 via NYTimes.com
Ford is running a combined print and mobile campaign for its 2011 Edge crossover in The New York Times that includes 2D barcodes in print ads providing mobile users with access a selection of Times articles on technology and style intended to appeal to tech-savvy prospective Edge buyers. MediaPost 9/16/10
The Corn Refiners Association (CRA), the makers of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), has asked the FDA to rename their product "corn sugar.” The CRA says HFCS is no worse for consumers than other sugars, but has been linked to obesity. Name Wire 9/15/10
Oprah Winfrey topped her 2004 Pontiac car giveaway by giving the 300 members of her 9/13 studio audience on an eight-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Sydney, Australia, in December. Oprah is promoting her premiere week, her 25th and “farewell season.” NYTimes.com 9/13/10
Walmart (WMT) has launched Walmart Family Mobile powered by T-Mobile, a new brand of post-paid cell phone service that offers monthly post-paid plans without a contract or multi-year commitment. It will be sold in nearly 2,500 Walmart stores. Marketwatch 9/13/10
ConAgra Foods’ frozen meals brand Marie Callender’s is presenting mealtime as a respite from the day's worries in a campaign themed "Time to Savor" that portrays the brand's products as comfort food. Adweek 8/29/10
Asian models have been added to represent the brands of Estee Lauder and Maybelline to appeal to the fastest-growing market in the world. SifyNews 8/28/10
A study of YouTube videos for tobacco brands including Marlboro, Benson and Hedges and Winston, says most had pro-tobacco content, using themes like celebrities and movies, sports, music or archival footage (such as an ad using the Flintstones smoking Winston cigarettes), and noted that some videos seemed to be professionally made. A World Health Organization treaty requires participating countries to ban all forms of tobacco advertisements and sponsorships but YouTube is a user-generated site that is not regulated for content control. Pagingdrgupta.com 8/27/10
Federal regulators are looking at Google Inc.'s plans to buy travel technology company ITA Software Inc., which could position Google to compete with travel brands Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz. Huffingtonpost.com 8/27/10
Two teenagers are suing Facebook, claiming their names and images were sold to advertisers without parental permission as part of a Facebook feature that allows members to ‘like’ a service or product. Facebook broadcasts likes to the user's friends. Huffingtonpost.com 8/27/10
Apple has set the date of its next "big announcement" for Sept. 1. Speculation is that the company will unveil a cloud-based music service. Brandweek 8/27/10
Nissan's Infiniti luxury brand plans to launch its first performance sub-brand in December, a version of its G coupe, to compete with BMW's M-series, Cadillac's V-series and Mercedes-Benz's AMG. Detroit Free Press 8/26/10
Japanese fast-fashion brand Uniqlo has named Charlize Theron and Orlando Bloom global brand ambassadors for its new “Made For All” philosophy. The company’s new tagline, emphasizes its commitment to provide clothing for everyone, regardless of nationality, age, occupation or gender People 8/26/10
Google has rolled out the “Call Phone” feature to all US Gmail users enabling them to call people directly on their phones. The service is free for calls in the US and Canada for the remainder of 2010. Gmailblog 8/26/10
RIM falls to 17-month low as India plans to ban BlackBerry messaging services Aug. 31 unless RIM resolves concerns the smart phones could be used for terrorist attacks or other illegal activities. Bloomberg 8/26/10
Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Co. are recalling 1.3 million 2005-2008 model vehicles because of engine stalling complaints. Autonews.com 8/26/10
Tiffany & Co. is launching a collection of handbags in a dozen U.S. stores on Sept. 1. The move will help Tiffany to drive sales through accessibly priced goods while maintaining the brand’s luxury image. WSJ.com 8/26/10
GM is launching the Chevrolet Cruze in September. As part of GM’s effort to achieve long term profitability the Cruze will be priced higher than previous compacts. WSJ 8/26/10
Four Points by Sheraton has reached a milestone of 150 properties in 24 countries.The Four Points’ brand positioning of “uncomplicated comfort” and value has helped the brand become one of the fastest growing brands within the Starwood portfolio. MarketWatch 8/25/10
American Eagle Outfitters Inc. plans store closings and layoffs in the wake of weaker margins, higher overhead and losses related to its failed Martin + Osa chain. The company points to inconsistent business trends and unpredictable consumer behavior as contributors to losses. WSJ 8/25/10
McDonald’s has named Steve Easterbrook evp, global chief brand officer, a new position at the fast-food giant. Reuters 8/24/10
Sweet ‘N Low is introducing a new campaign to relaunch the brand to consumers and differentiate it in an increasingly crowded category. NYTimes 8/23/10
Retail brands are exploring futuristic digital technologies to reawaken shopper interest in brick and mortar stores. WSJ.com 8/26/10
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In July sales versus a year ago GM's four core brands were up 25%, Ford (F) was up 3%, Toyota (TM) was down 3%. Washington Post 8/8/10
A former executive with the company that owns the Thomas' English Muffins brand has been barred from working for rival Hostess Brands. His former employer says the executive is one of seven people in the world who know the step-by-step process of putting the "nooks and crannies" or air pockets in Thomas' English muffins. UPI.com 8/7/10
Sambazon, a San Clemente, Calif., firm that makes products based on acai, has launched a brand positioning featuring “Sambazon Warriors,” “ ‘everyday warriors’ in which consumers can join and feel they are part of a movement. A Facebook app that lets consumers add a headdress to their photo is part of the campaign. Brandweek 8/6/10
Is an Apple (AAPL) iBike in the works? PatentlyApple.com says a patent application from Apple was published by the US Patent & Trademark Office on August 5, 2010 that reveals various concepts behind a newly advanced Smart Bicycle System for individuals as well as teams of cyclists. The Bicycle system monitors speed, distance, time, altitude, elevation, incline, decline, heart rate, power, derailleur setting, cadence, wind speed, path completed, expected future path, heart rate, power, and pace. The system could utilize various sensors built-into the iPhone in addition to working with sensors already built-into the bike itself.” PatentlyApple.com 8/5/2010.
Liz Claiborne Inc (LIZ.N) which has not seen a profit in about three years has posted a much smaller-than-expected loss and says it will turn profitable on an adjusted basis in the fourth quarter. It has closed underperforming stores, worked on underperforming brands and signed an exclusive deal with J.C. Penney Co Inc (JCP.N) to sell its namesake line. Reuters 8/5/10
GM will return to the Super Bowl in 2011; an ad campaign will break next month for the Chevy Camaro; and there's a new tagline coming for Cadillac, "The new standard for the world.” AdAge 8/5/2010
The Coca-Cola Company (KO) and the WNBA are partnering to promote Coca-Cola’s "Live Positively" initiative and WNBA Cares.
Clinics will teach fitness skills and nutrition to kids and holding camps in local parks will encourage people to visit neighborhood parks and be more active. BrandWeek 8/3/2010
Apple (AAPL) has sold more than two million iPad tablet computers since its launch on April 3rd. Techcrunch 5/31/10
Wal-Mart (WMT) is cutting prices an average of 30 percent on 22 foods and other essentials, restoring brands it previously dropped, and replacing trendy clothing with basic styles to reinforce their brand positioning and fight competition from dollar stores, local grocery chains and other big box retailers. Huffingtonpost.com 5/29/10
Ford Motor Company (F) says it’s reviewing its portfolio of brands and specific nameplates but won’t confirm it plans to kill the Mercury brand. LAtimes.com 5/29/10
A key attraction of Procter & Gamble’s (PG) purchase of Natura Pet Products is thought to be access to Natura’s distribution channel of independent pet stores. But pet supply retailers have taken to social media to protest that the buy will adversely affect them. Advertising Age 5/29/10
Heineken has launched "Your Heineken", enabling European consumers to personalize Heineken sleeves with provided photography/images, see 3D visualization of their creation and order the six-pack of Heineken. Mediabistro 5/28/10
When guests check in at Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) brands – Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Staybridge Suites or Candlewood Suites – on the Gowalla mobile social network via their mobile phone between now and Aug. 31, they receive “Hit it Big” rewards including loyalty points, double air miles, retail gift cards, etc., to promote IHG’s loyalty programs. Mobile Marketer 5/28/10
Time Warner and NBC Universal do not plan to convert their existing Flash-authored videos to HTML5 format so they can be viewed on Apple’s new iPad. PCMag.com 5/28/10
Ann Taylor (ANN) apologizes for altering images of models on their web site to make them appear perfectly shaped and unnaturally slender. Jezebel via BrandFreak 5/28/10
Kraft (KFT) is targeting women 35-54 with their recently launched Sandwich Shop brand of flavored, restaurant-inspired mayonnaises. Brandweek 5/27/10
Procter & Gamble (PG) has relaunched the Pantene brand with a new campaign and a contest that announced the “First Reality TV Hair Star,” during NBC's season finale of The Biggest Loser: Couples. Brandweek 5/27/10
Pabst Brewing Co., the maker of Pabst Blue Ribbon and Schlitz, will be sold to food investor C. Dean Metropoulos. Pabst Blue Ribbon is seeing a resurgence in popularity 20-somethings. HuffingtonPost.com 5/26/10
Microsoft (MSFT), Sephora, NASCAR and Comcast (CMCSA) are using Twitter as a component in sweepstakes promotions to boost buzz about their brands. Adweek 11/22/09
Complaints over ads from competitors filed with the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, the industry’s main self-regulatory program for national ads, will set a record in 2009. Combatants include Pantene vs Dove, Science Diet vs. Iams, AT&T(ATT) vs. Verizon Wireless (VZ) and Campbell Soup vs. Progresso. New York Times 11/22/09
Mega media brand Oprah Winfrey is ending her talk show in 2011 after 25 years on the air to launch OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network. Adweek 11/20/09
eBay (EBAY) will sponsor free wireless Internet on Delta (DAL) flights during the holiday travel period Nov. 24 through Nov. 30 to promote eBay’s “Holideals.” Clickz 11/18/09
Intel (INTC) hopes to strengthen the connection between it’s brand and consumers through a new website they’ve launched called LifeScoop. The site is designed to appeal to consumers interested in technology “but aren’t hard-core geeks.” Brandweek 11/14/09
Hundreds of “older, poorly perfoming” Holiday Inn hotels in North America could lose the right to call themselves a Holiday Inn if the franchisees don’t meet franchisor Intercontinental Hotel Group's (IHG) quality specs and undertake extensive renovations. Wall Street Journal 11/13/09. Requires subscription.
McDonald’s Corp. (MCD) plans to open about 1,000 new restaurants, remodel 2,300 existing ones around the world next year, and is experimenting with new technology to prepare for a global economic recovery. Wall Street Journal 11/13/09. Requires subscription.
The American Family Association is calling on consumers to boycott Gap Inc. (GPS) and its brands, which include Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic, this holiday season because the retailer's ads downplay the word "Christmas." Brandweek 11/13/09
Burger King franchisees are suing the company, alleging that Burger King Corp (BKC). doesn't have the right to set "maximum prices" for certain menu items. The lawsuit was spurred by the double-cheeseburger promotion that franchisees fought against saying it causes them to lose money. Advertising Age 11/12/09
Miracle Whip bought every ad slot on The Colbert Report on November 12th, and announced the buy “in newspapers warning Colbert that his commercial breaks would expose his viewers to “hardcore Miracle Whip attitude.” The Miracle Whip ad roadblock was in response to a parody of a Miracle Whip ad that Colbert ran on his show in October. MediaFreak 11/12/09
Ashley Furniture sponsors live-streamed birth on MomsLikeMe.com, a one-year-old site owned by newspaper publisher Gannett. The company had a featured banner running during event which was seen by 3,600 people watching the live stream, and an additional 148,600 unique visitors who downloaded the video during the next 72 hours. ClickZ Network 11/11/09
Breaking with other airline sites, Continental Airlines (CAL) plans to sell advertising on their website, saying their 10 million monthly unique users are in a trip-planning frame of mind, creating “an extremely conducive atmosphere for advertisers."Brandweek 11/11/09
Google (GOOG) CEO Eric Schmidt has resigned from Apple's (AAPL) board of directors as the Internet search leader increasingly develops products that compete with Apple's core businesses, including the iPhone. LATimes 8/3/09
The Coca-Cola Company (KO) is testing "Vio," a new carbonated, milk-based "vibrancy" drink, in New York. Packaged in 8 oz. aluminum bottles, Vio comes in four flavors – Citrus Burst, Peach Mango, Tropical Colada and Very Berry. Guardian, 8/1/09
Skype, which was purchased by eBay (EBAY) in 2005, might have to shut down because of a dispute with the original founders of the company who retained the rights to the technology at the heart of the system. FoxNews 8/1/09
Starting this season, the NBA is allowing teams to sell ads on their practice jerseys. The league is also exploring the idea of allowing ads on game jerseys noting that sponsored game jerseys are a well-established practice in other countries. MediaBistro 7/31/09
The U.S. Travel Association says corporations and government officials fearful of being perceived of wasting tax dollars are avoiding entertainment destinations such as Orlando and Las Vegas, in a policy, the organization says, that is more about saving face than saving money. CNN 7/31/09
