Shopping bags at Disney theme parks are generally overstuffed with Mickey ears, Dumbo stuffed animals and Little Mermaid outfits. Soon, though, those bags—at least the ones at Disney World—may be packed with plenty of non-Disney merchandise.

Disney World’s Downtown Disney is getting a revamp and expansion that is scheduled to be finished in 2016 and will result in a change of name to Disney Springs and a total change of sensibility. It will feature “uniquely Disney venues coupled with high profile third parties” and will mean the end for nightclub spot Pleasure Island, Fox News reports. Instead, Disney Springs will get a makeover that will include “Spanish revival architecture amidst a retail setting with waterfront dining.”Continue reading...

On Nov. 11th, the world can say goodbye to the Florida Marlins. But don’t worry, baseball fans, moments later you can say hello to the Miami Marlins.

And then the team would like you to pass along your credit card number. In a brand shift, the baseball team will change its name to Miami Marlins and is now ready to sell freshly branded shirts, hats, and every other piece of gear you could possibly want.

Baseball teams aren’t known for holding back on what they’ll slap their logo on. Need a Boston Red Sox outdoor stepping stone? A Cincinnati Reds “Halloween Trick-or-Treat Ghostie Candy Bucket”? A toaster that puts the Philadelphia Phillies logo right on the bread?Continue reading...

Walmart has long said that has no interest in the business of selling lottery tickets. But the company is interested in keeping its customers satisfied. So a pilot program is about to get underway this week in Florida, where 27 Walmart stores will test selling tickets in a limited market trial.

"We want to offer products our customers want," commented Tara Raddohl, a company spokeswoman, to the Miami Herald. "We did some initial research and we determined it would be a good market to pilot in."

The growth of Walmart’s smaller neighborhood-market stores is what brought about the change in thinking from the Arkansas-based company.Continue reading...

Oregon’s motto is “she flies with her own wings.” And now she’ll fly with digitally enhanced ones.

The state's legislature has just agreed to allow digital billboards along all state roadways, according to the Oregonian. The newspaper points out that while some Oregon cities already allows such billboards, this law will allow for such advertising along all of the state highways.

Digital billboards are a hot topic of debate around the US.Continue reading...

Activia-maker Dannon forced to drop yogurt hype.

AOL acquires content marketing platform Pictela.

Apple grapples with "made in China" iPhones.

Baidu sees growth rate slowing in 2011.

Bloomberg to begin publishing editorials and opinion pieces.

BYD brings electric car fleet to Los Angeles.

Coors Light launches first Super Bowl XLV digital marketing.Continue reading...