Tide Pods seem to be very good for Procter & Gamble, but some observers believe they're killing the rest of the detergent industry.

Naturally, P&G seems quite happy with how the pre-measured Pods are gobbling up market share in the U.S. detergent business, with expected fiscal-year sales of $500 million this year meaning that Tide Pods are well on their way to becoming yet another of the dozens of $1-billion-plus brands in the CPG giant's portfolio.

Moreover, this is a segment that P&G invented, as AP has noted, taking "eight years, 450 product sketches, 6,000 consumer tests and hundreds of millions of dollars." Despite imitators, Tide essentially has the category all to itself so far, with a market share of about 75 percent of unit doses, drawing customers from rivals without the technology. No wonder P&G plans to take Pods to Europe in the coming months.Continue reading...

BMW projected to beat Mercedes-Benz for US luxury crown.

PepsiCo reportedly mulls layoffs and salary freeze to appease Wall Street.

Kodak bankruptcy report in WSJ slams stock price.

Apple hires Adobe exec to oversee iAds, threatens to sue company behind Steve Jobs doll and rises at Foxconn's expense.

Australia's Commonwealth Bank crowdsources customer ideas.

Arm & Hammer ordered to pull TV commercial criticizing cat litter competitor.

Audi's China sales outstrip Germany.

Boeing closes premier factory in Wichita.

Burberry is now the most popular luxury brand on Facebook, as YouTube, MTV and Coca-Cola lead in FB engagement.Continue reading...

Albertsons decides to keep self-checkout lanes.

Amazon seeks ballot measure to undo California tax.

Arm & Hammer woos cat-lovers.

BlackBerry owner RIM announces seven new smartphones, courts carriers feeling threatened by Apple and Google.

BMW cranks up its profit forecast.

Campbell takes new course as new CEO outlines strategy.

Carrefour sees its acquisition deal in Brazil fizzle.Continue reading...

The sensational trial of Casey Anthony, the mother accused of murdering her 2-year-old daughter, has become the biggest media courtroom circus since O.J. It's also proving to be the most brand-laden trial since O.J. Simpson modeled gloves.Continue reading...

This quote caught our eyes in today's New York Times: "brands have not been compelled to spell out what Fluffy does in the litter box, and instead dwell on what the products do: reduce odor. Now, however, Arm & Hammer, which makes Multi-Cat and Super Scoop cat litters, is introducing a new variety, Double Duty, and to highlight its unique selling point, the brand decided there was no room for euphemism."

Yes, Arm & Hammer is now addressing feline species' feces with its new kitty litter and related commercial, above. Susan Logan, editor of Cat Fancy magazine, comments that while cat litter brands’ general odor-fighting claim is probably meant to suggest “they neutralize all odors,” the Double Duty approach “seems like a really good idea and something I would be interested in trying myself.” Abe Sauer's right; it is the silly season.

Heineken looks to brew a comeback. [AdAge]

British Airways takes tough stance on Union. [The Guardian]

Facebook considers revising privacy policy. [Mashable]

Arm & Hammer launches new gel detergent. [brandweek]

Sarah Palin brings personal brand to TV. [LA Times]

Tide is giving new meaning to cleaning. America’s best-selling laundry detergent wants budgeting consumers to know that clean clothes are not part of personal hygiene, but part of personal style.

That’s right. Like those shoes you are wearing.

As the economy sputters, the popular brand increasingly finds itself under assault from less expensive detergents such as Purex, Arm & Hammer, and All. Recession-weary consumers are closely monitoring their shopping lists and saving money wherever possible, including their laundry detergent purchases. But Tide wants them to know there is more to being clean than being dirt free.Continue reading...

Using the Clinton Global Initiative as their platform, Procter & Gamble unveiled its new "Future Friendly" campaign, a multi-brand initiative to educate and encourage consumers to make sustainable choices. P&G marked the occasion with the introduction of a new, "green" Pampers brand diaper, and pledged to provide four billion liters of clean drinking water throughout the developing world through the Children's Safe Drinking Water program. (P&G won a 2005 "green" award for their water purification system.)

Modeled after successful efforts in the UK and Canada, the P&G campaign contends for market share against recent "green" products from Arm & Hammer, SC Johnson, Kimberly-Clark and Clorox. Procter & Gamble differentiates itself by claiming their existing products use less waste, energy and packaging, and by directing the campaign towards mainstream consumers who prefer to remain with trusted brands, yet desire a sustainable product.Continue reading...