When Gold Medal skier Lindsey Vonn's uplifting Facebook post from rehab carried the Instagram/Twitter hashtag #givesyouwings, it was just the latest example of how injury has become another opportunity for athlete spokespeople to service their brands.

Vonn posted the positive message alongside a picture of herself working out her abs as she is recovering from knee surgery after a brutal injury. The picture included her Red Bull water bottle. (She later tweeted a graphic picture of her post-op knee).

Yes, Red Bull is a Lindsey Vonn sponsor, but the fact that the four-time World Cup champion might not strap on skis for another six to eight months isn't stopping her endorsement duties. In fact, as many brands are learning, there may be as much to gain from a sponsor's thrill of victory as there is from his or her agony of defeat.Continue reading...

Amazon teases new Kindle Fire devices during NFL kick-off while Kobo unveils new range of "e-readers for everyone."

Albertsons scales back retail operation with store closures.

Andy Roddick retires after U.S. Open loss, as Roger Federer is knocked out and loses world #1 title.

Ben & Jerry's sues over x-rated Ben & Cherry's.

Bentley moves US management team to VW HQ.

Bill Clinton helps seal Barack Obama nomination at DNC convention.

Billabong attracts $700 million bid from Bain Capital.

BP unveils new technology to boost oil production.Continue reading...

Hot on the high heels of her recent Pepsi campaign, Nicki Minaj is starring in her first commercial for the Adidas brand — the release of which took her by surprise, according to her tweets Wednesday evening. Watch the new spot, for Adidas Originals, below.Continue reading...

Delta Air Lines signs deal to purchase refinery to reduce jet fuel costs.

Facebook urges members to add "organ donor" status in Good Morning America announcement.

Walmart expands conservation program and urban push as pension plans in New York prepare to vote against its board at annual meeting.

Adidas deals with Derrick Rose injury.

Apple and Samsung hope to end bitter litigation.

Avon continues financial slide.

Bank of America plans to cut jobs from its upper ranks.Continue reading...

Never mind its sponsorship-based spat with rival Nike ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games. As part of its official Olympic sponsorship, Adidas has launched "Take the Stage" as an invitation to fans and Olympic Games visitors to "show us something with heart, something with passion and this slot could be yours."

The campaign — which aims to give undiscovered talent (namely, 32 teenagers from London's boroughs) the chance of a lifetime on the platform of a lifetime, at the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games — launched on April 7 on ITV1's Britain's Got Talent show.Continue reading...

Adidas releases spot featuring David Beckham, Lionel Messi, Derrick Rose, and Katy Perry, whose single ("Part of Me") is the featured soundtrack.

Apple products can now be found in half of all U.S. households.

Charles Barkley cross-dresses in new Weight Watchers campaign.

Facebook stops secondary market trading ahead of May IPO.

Jeremy Lin meets with ESPN employee fired over racist headline.

JetBlue's unhinged pilot charged with a criminal complaint.

Netflix appears to follow through with Qwikster plan after all.

News Corp. said to plan sports network to rival ESPN.Continue reading...

If there is one thing NBA stars LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Derrick Rose need, it's more exposure, don’t you think? Forget their break-ups and make-ups... basketball's major personal brands are making sure their names are out there in bold print across the nation with three totally different deals.

You’d think the Chicago Bulls point guard, Rose, who is making almost $95 million over five seasons, had enough cash in the bank to survive for some time, but the word from Business Insider is that he’s bolstering his accounts by signing a “lifetime endorsement” deal with Adidas that will pay him $250 million. Not bad for a 23-year-old in a rough economy who may or may not have had someone else take his SATs for him. It’s actually a 10-year deal, according to ESPN, that would have Rose serve as the “face” of Adidas. As ESPN hears it, Rose’s shoes outsell LeBron’s in China.

Meanwhile, James is shoring up his name and fame by opening his own retail store in Miami over the holidays, while Bryant is having fun spoofing his image for Nike.Continue reading...

Gap, J.Crew and other retailers slash prices, as stores try to thwart price apps, and tweak websites to spur sales.

A&W is sold by Yum! Brands to A Great American Brand.

Absolut celebrates 30 years of gay ads.

Adidas pursues church for trademark infringement; church asks Derrick Rose to intercede.

Akamai purchases cloud rival.

Apple isn't expected to produce a smaller iPad, although fuel-cell MacBooks are rumored. Apple's online sales also exceed Walmart.com results.

AT&T's $1.93 billion deal for Qualcomm's airwaves approved.

Bebe expands with wedding collection.

Best Buy criticized for not fulfilling some holiday online orders.

BT's long-running family campaign in the UK ends its run.

Burberry, Forever 21 and Zara score on Facebook.Continue reading...