Apple rumor created by Swedes as a prank goes viral.

BP nets $2.5bn in deal to sell Californian refinery business and Arco brand.

Canada's media ownership concentration criticized in new report.

Chad Johnson negates powerful personal brand as VH1 series cancelled.

Cosmopolitan founder Helen Gurley Brown passes, remembered, at 90.

Dewar's global brand ambassador chats with the New York Times.

Ford banks on 2013 Fiesta.

GE and Chobani take gold in Ace Metrix Olympics ad ranker.

HarperCollins plans pop-up record store to promote new book.Continue reading...

* Apple is close to a deal with Disney to rent ABC TV shows via iTunes, the Wall Street Journal reports. It's also looking to trademark several of its mobile app icons.

* Burger King reported slumping sales.

* AARP research finds brand-name drug prices increased 8% last year.

* Barnes & Noble reported a tough quarter and increased legal costs due to proxy fight with investor.

* Best Buy named Aura Oslapas its new chief design officer.Continue reading...

Sidney Crosby is making his first big advertising appearance since he helped win the gold medal for Canada in hockey at the Winter Olympics.

Crosby played an integral role in Canada’s successful run for the Olympic gold medal in hockey. The exposure paved the way for his foray into television commercials and the latest series from Reebok, which features a variety of sports stars. Already featured is football star Chad Ochocinco, and upcoming spots include hockey star, Alex Ovechkin and racecar driver, Lewis Hamilton.Continue reading...

Not even the semi-catatonic ramblings of the second man on the Moon were enough to dampen viewer enthusiasm for Dancing with the Stars in Monday night’s premiere showing of the long-running ABC hit reality program. The show debuted with its best opening-night viewership numbers ever, with a Nielsen-preliminary 23.9 million viewers.

In the opener, it immediately seemed ill advised to include 80-year-old former astronaut Buzz Aldrin among the stars, as he could barely move on the dance floor and his few comments were nearly unintelligible. Dancing’s last octogenarian, Cloris Leachman, at least was an actress with stage presence and a sharp wit.

But the other elements that ABC introduced and tweaked for this 10th season of Dancing all seemed to work nicely, improving the show – and portending continued robust ratings when it returns next week.Continue reading...