YouTube launches paid channels after rumors swirled earlier this week about subscription partners.

ESPN may subsidize wireless-data plans.

JPMorgan Chase is sued by California over credit-card cases.

AT&T returns to chatty kids for Mother's Day ads.

Amazon is reportedly developing a smartphone with 3-D screen.

Caterpillar and union suspend talks.

Chrysler faces uphill climb for Jeep in China.

Costco now offers travel packages to members.

Dell may see rival bid by Carl Icahn group.

Delta sees new terminal as symbol of air-travel makeover.Continue reading...

Another traditional weight-loss brand is resorting to a radical change in its business model in an effort to avoid extinction by online dieting sites.

Nutrisystem has announced plans to sell a "5-Day Nutrisystem Jumpstart Your Weight Loss Kit" exclusively at 2,000 Walmart stores. It includes 15 entrees plus desserts, a free meal planner and program guide with access to free weight-loss counseling, all for the low, low price of $44.98.

"While there are many weight-loss products in the market, this is really the first of its kind—a true diet jumpstart in a box," Dawn Zier, Nutrisystem CEO, said in a press release.Continue reading...

Volvo owners always knew they were different from other consumers. Now, the brand is launching a new, integrated advertising campaign in the US that explicitly appeals to the non-materialistic, minimalist ethos which differentiates Volvo aficionados from buyers of other luxury and near-luxury brands.

In the process, Volvo brand stewards hope to finally begin turning around the sales of a franchise whose US results peaked a decade ago, when the company was owned by Ford, and have kept on sliding over the last few years as Ford lost interest and then, in 2010, sold Volvo to Geely, a large Chinese automaker, for $1.5 billion.

Volvo owners' "interpretation of luxury is different but very real," Tassos Panas, vice president of marketing and product planning for Volvo of North America, told brandchannel. "They're more into life's experiences, and more into a Scandinavian simple design [of vehicles] versus a lot of clutter. They are very much luxury customers and love luxury products, but they don't feel a need to impress others."Continue reading...

Charlie Ergen's Dish Network offers to buy Sprint for $25.5 billion in a bid to one up SoftBank.

ConAgra, Heinz and Nestle lead frozen food battle to reverse negative image.

Nike seeks to regain its edge with fewer ads following Tiger Woods stumble.

Dannon uses Greek-style to leapfrog Yoplait to top of U.S. yogurt business.

Apple clearly enters post-Jobs era.

Justin Bieber sparks controversy with Anne Frank comment.

Boeing sees new inspection order on its 737s.Continue reading...

Aereo TV streaming service from Barry Diller faces showdown with News Corp.'s Rupert Murdoch, who threatens to take FOX cable-only, as Intel cooks up its vision of future of TV.

Apple, which can now trademark iPad mini in U.S. and captured 74% of mobile app revenue in Q1, reportedly will release new iPhone 5S in "at least" two screen sizes.

Billabong in talks to sell out for $300 million.

Airbus juggles order book to meet record demand for A320neo Jet.

AT&T joins Boeing in backing U.S. cyber bill facing privacy fight.

Audi promotes in-vehicle Wi-Fi in new TV campaign.Continue reading...

AB InBev reached a tentative agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice over its disputed $20.1 billion acquisition of Mexican brewer Grupo Modelo, which faces inquiry over Mexico worker deaths.

GE to buy Lufkin for $3 billion in oil-and-gas-industry play.

PepsiCo seeks to patent novel high-protein nutrition beverages.

Adidas stops controversial sale of t-shirts around injured Louisville player Kevin Ware.

AOL CEO Tim Armstrong to be honored for pro-women Makers series.

Apple's former advisor to Steve Jobs admits brand screwed up iPhone naming system.Continue reading...

When consumers pick up a bottle of Champagne, they know it’s from France, and when they scarf down some Prosciutto di Parma, they know it’s from Italy. Now, manufacturers of Belgian chocolates are trying to legally protect their chocolate so that when folks pick up products with the phrase “Belgian chocolate” on it, you can be sure it's from Belgium.

After all, chocolate is big business in Belgium. The Telegraph reports that there are “over 200 chocolate firms, more than 2,000 chocolate stores and museums drawing thousands of sweet-toothed visitors every year.” Exports of the product are worth $5.1 billion. That’s a lot of cacao.Continue reading...

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, but is a diamond ring ever just a diamond ring?

Not if you’re Tiffany & Co. 

The New York-based luxury jeweler has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Costco Wholesale Corp. in the hopes of preventing the sullying—and cheapening—of its cherished brand. But the counterclaims of the wholesaling giant could see the term “tiffany” defined as a generic diamond setting.

When you’re a giant in the high-end jewelry business, you don’t want to be within a country mile of anything remotely generic or wholesale or you can kiss your margins, reputation and quite possibly your brand value goodbye. Unfortunately, this isn't the first time that Tiffany has had to tango with brands that claimed to sell "Tiffany" goods.

In December, Tiffany (the company, not the singer) sent a cease-and-desist letter to Costco after one of the jeweler’s customers alerted it that the wholesaler had signs in its Huntington Beach, CA, store promoting “Tiffany setting” rings. In a complaint filed in federal court last month, Tiffany claimed Costco “had apparently been selling different styles of rings for many years that it has falsely identified on in-store signage as ‘Tiffany.’” Not only are the rings not Tiffany, the jeweler says, but they are not manufactured by, approved by, licensed by or in any way associated with Tiffany.Continue reading...