FTC clarifies rules for social and mobile advertising.

Reader's Digest reports big gains among advertisers and readers.

Samsung deals with high expectations for Galaxy S IV as it outspends Apple on marketing.

BBC World News launches global marketing campaign.

Boeing gets FAA initial approval of battery fix for Dreamliner and wins $15 billion order from Ryanair for current 737 plane, report says.

Cadbury's Silk undergoing brand "renovation."

Chevrolet accelerates dealer infotainment training.Continue reading...

JCPenney and Macy's set for trial over Martha Stewart.

BMW blows away Mercedes-Benz with December sales to claim U.S. 2012 luxury-segment crown.

CES trend-watching and predicting begins.

Adweek invites votes on best and worst brand extensions of the year.

Al Jazeera deal for Current TV could change U.S. cable news.

American Airlines promises merger decision on US Airways within weeks.

Apple sees iPad lift from holiday sales and marketing.

Barnes & Noble sees Nook lose ground in tablet wars.Continue reading...

It’s the kind of headline you can’t make up, but the New York Times got the scoop on Current TV's sale: “Al Jazeera Seeks a U.S. Voice Where Gore Failed.”

Since 2006, Al Jazeera, the pan-Arab news giant, has been struggling to convince Americans its English-language 24/7 news channel is legitimate, not a mouthpiece for Middle Eastern propaganda (or worse), and their acquisition of Al Gore’s ill-fated, left-leaning and user-generated Current TV, just bought them 40 million homes. Never mind that it has picked up a raft of awards including a Columbia Journalism Award, a DuPont award, and a George Polk award.

Financed by the government of Qatar, Al Jazeera, once despised for broadcasting videotapes from Al Qaeda members and sympathizers, Current will be rebranded Al Jazeera America at a cost of about $500 million (including a $100 million payout for Gore, who owned a 20% stake in the media property). The burning question, with Americans focused on domestic issues and the economy, will U.S. viewers watch Al Jazeera's take on global news and current affairs?Continue reading...

Al Jazeera buys Current TV from Al Gore, prompting Time Warner Cable to drop channel.

Hormel Foods branches out as it buys Skippy peanut butter brand from Unilever.

Toyota declares a rebirth.

5-Hour Energy sees ad claims rebutted (again).

AB InBev plans to launch stronger U.S. version of Budweiser this year.

Amazon wins dismissal of App Store false-ad claim by Apple.

Apple "bet" energizes AT&T.

China recovery confidence spurs Hong Kong luxury sales.Continue reading...

Air New Zealand in-flight video promotes Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" in latest marketing tie-in for the movie.

ABC News files motion to dismiss "pink slime" suit.

Apple signals Tim Cook era with management shakeup, reports R&D spending up 40% in 2012 (although it was still outspent by Microsoft), plans to open up to 35 stores next year, confirms iPad mini built-in speakers.

Honda targets Japanese women with pink "She's" car.

Barclays faces two new U.S. probes.

Caesars packs up casino in Macau.

Campbell hires new CMO to reach Millennials.Continue reading...

Al Gore’s embattled, progressive cable news channel, Current TV, is on the block. Spinning it in a positive light, CEO Joel Hyatt confirmed the rumors to the New York Post, commenting, “Current has been approached many times by media companies interested in acquiring our company. This year alone, we have had three inquiries. As a consequence, we thought it might be useful to engage expertise to help us evaluate our strategic options.”

Co-owned by former Vice President Gore, Hyatt (who made his money with Hyatt Legal Services) and several private backers with similar left-leaning political views, Current is available to about 60 million homes, and receives about 12 cents per subscriber from pay-TV operators carrying it, around $82 million last year, according to SNL Kagan, with ad revenue in 2011 estimated at $16.9 million. But that's still not enough to make the media brand an attractive enough standalone play for its owners.

The channel launched in August 2005 as a youth-centric, user-generated service, fueled by Gore’s personal crusade against global warming. Positioned as a bid to "democratize" the media business, putting more power in the hands of viewers to produce and distribute their own content (and then user-generated ads, called V-CAMs, short for "viewer-created ad messages"), the ill-fated service has gone through programming and personnel upheavals since the moment it went live.Continue reading...

Apple and Samsung wait for jury to plow through complex case as Apple tries to thwart efforts by Google and its Motorola Mobility to ban iPhone and iPad imports into U.S.

Lance Armstrong says he'll stop fighting U.S. doping authority, faces loss of Tour de France titles.

Best Buy carries out drama with founder over control of company.

Boeing strains to make Dreamliner program profitable.

Bristol-Myers Squibb drops Hepatitis C drug after patient death.

Chrysler mulls boosting Ram truck production to meet rising demand.

Cox Communications debuts multi-platform football-based campaign.

Current TV to turn over half the screen to Twitter during convention coverage.

Daimler mulls building compact Mercedes cars with Renault-Nissan, report says. Continue reading...

Costco reports surge in monthly sales.

Coty wants Avon in part to build in Brazil.

Current TV struggles to meet audience targets.

Dairy Queen rolls out new national campaign.

Del Monte and Fresh Del Monte engage in food fight.

Delta considers entering fuel-refining business to cut costs.

Facebook said to pick Nasdaq for IPO.Continue reading...