Microsoft will announce Monday a plan to sell tablets under its own brand, in a challenge to Apple's iPad, while Amazon reportedly plans to launch cloud music service in July to rival iTunes.

Kirin Holdings agreed to pay $200.9 million Australian dollars (US$203.4 million) for the shares it doesn't already own in Australian boutique brewer Little World Beverages, as Japanese companies expand offshore to combat flagging domestic demand.

Dr Martens owners seeks up to £200m from potential buyers.

AirAsia plans to follow Virgin model with brand extensions.

Android relaunches user interface.Continue reading...

P&G and Walmart aren't the only brands putting the "mobile" into their marketing mix by hitching their brands to the food truck craze.

A new kind of chuck wagon hits New York City today as financial services brand Charles Schwab invites locals to their “Oh, Chuck! Truck” on June 13-14 for the chance to win $10,000 in a Schwab Brokerage Account. 

The campaign is part of Schwab’s YouTube video series, “Oh, Chuck! I Blew My Cash,” which features Chuck proffering financial advice to people confessing to unfortunate purchases causing regret and angst.Continue reading...

Charles Schwab, the U.S. brokerage firm known for its "Talk to Chuck" campaign, is tweaking its commercials and advertising to increase its authenticity to consumers, and lessen the distance between its message and its target audience. 

In a new campaign released today, Schwab is dropping the animation technique known as rotoscoping (which layers graphics, move for move, on live action filmed sequences) in favor of straightforward live action. The stripped down spots featuring a stark white background and a no-nonsense, plain-spoken pitchman who begins each spot with “Let’s talk about …” and ends with the “Talk to Chuck” tagline.Continue reading...

While some companies are embracing the ‘Occupy’ demonstrations popping up across the United States, others like Bank of America have made the decision to ignore the impact that these demonstrations can have on consumer sentiment.

Less than two weeks after ‘Occupy Wall Street’ demonstrations began in downtown New York, executives at Bank of America thought it a good time to roll out a new $5 monthly charge to its customers making check card purchases in a given month. Two other large banks, JP Morgan and Wells Fargo, are also reported to be considering similar fees.

Bank of America is now taking heat (including being spoofed on Ellen) for its recent fee introduction from both legislators and the media. Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill. urged customers to take their money to different banks. A Fox Business Network anchor went further and made headlines when she cut up a Bank of America debit card on air.

Consumer watchdogs will argue that the fee is not fair and that the government needs to protect consumers; however, the damage for Bank of America has already been done thanks to all of the negative press its announcement has received. Recent reports of sluggish performance on the bank’s website over the past few week have even been attributed to the bank’s fee announcement.Continue reading...

Hurricane Irene seems to be aiming for the Northeastern U.S. megalopolis.

ABC refuses to air ad for Our Idiot Brother flick.

Apple prepares for life after Steve Jobs' leadership as new chief e-mails the troops.

Berkshire Hathaway and Warren Buffett invest $5 billion in Bank of America, shoring up the stock, as the financier prepares to host a fund-raiser for Presidnet Obama, and Charles Schwab sues the bank and others over a financial-markets intricacy.

Burger King finds the King listed at one of Time magazine's "creepiest" brand mascots.Continue reading...

Military financial services company USAA (short for United Services Automobile Association) is the #1 brand for customer experience in America, according to the just-released 2011 survey ranking the top 100 brands, as selected by US consumers polled by Nunwood.

Based in San Antonio, Texas, USAA ranked first with a 8.34 CEM rating for consistently delivering on its brand promise: “For those who stood tall for this country and for their families, we stand ready to return the favor.”Continue reading...