Coca-Cola introduces itself to Myanmar.

DreamWorks and Netflix reach deal for new TV programs.

Smithfield Foods is urged by major shareholder to carve itself up rather than sell to Chinese firm. 

Airbus tracks to double profit margin.

Al Jazeera will demonstrate deep pockets in US debut.

Apple will become big—but not dominant—player in automotive "center stack."

Chrysler launches nationwide ad blitz for SRT performance brand.

Facebook to unveil video support for Instagram, reports say. 

Ford buckles on adding knobs for infotainment controls.

GM expands SUV recall for fire risk as it poises to jump out of "lease hole."

Hooters debuts late-night menu.Continue reading...

China is the second largest economy in the world and every significant brand's future is impacted by its growth (or collapse)—but who's got the time?! Here's the week's reads that will make you look like a keen China observer in case you find yourself immersed in a cultural conversation.

This week: McDonald's owns the night... KFC woes... Middle-class spending... GM exports... Buick and Toyota recalls... Adidas fakes... GSK scandal... Volvo and Carrefour look West... Hollister brah... Givenchy... Dreamworks' Tibet Code... Durex gets spanked... and more.Continue reading...

Ford joins European car-sharing sector as demand surges.

KKR lands former general David Petraeus for private-equity firm.

Nasdaq to pay $10 million fine for botched Facebook IPO.

Airbus and Boeing split a $17-million widebody-jet purchase by Singapore Airlines.

Apple shifts supply chain away from Foxconn to Pegatron.

Associated Press and New York Times resist meeting with US Attorney General Eric Holder on leaks investigations.

BMW will recruit trainees from Spain's pool of young jobless.

Carnival Cruise Line launches ad-agency review.Continue reading...

Kmart is on a roll with humorous ad messaging with a follow-up to its viral "Ship My Pants" ad. The retailer released "Big Gas Savings" and the spot has already racked up nearly 1.5 million views. The campaign touts the benefits of the brand's Shop Your Way rewards program, which offers free shipping and discounts at Kmart gas pumps. 

A promise of 30 cents on the gallon savings, coupled with talent and wordplay on “big gas” may signal a continuing theme for Kmart with creative produced on these two ads from DraftFCB, but rival McCann is in the mix pitching for the account going forward.

Here's a few more ads and campaigns that caught our eye this week:Continue reading...

It turns out that angry consumers aren't the only ones that American retailers need to worry about. In a joint statement published Thursday, a group of investors sought out to express their dissatisfaction with US retailers that have refused to sign the Bangladesh fire and safety agreement.

The release, undersigned by Amalgamated Bank Longview Funds and 14 others said, "We expect companies in our portfolios to ensure the integrity of their supply chains." The group, which reportedly holds a combined $1.35 trillion in assets, called out both Walmart and Gap, two major US retailers who spoke out against the accord, advising them to act swiftly and effectively in agreeance with the legally-binding proposal, which was signed by over 30 international companies by its May 15 deadline. 

The response is a reaction to the late-April factory collapse in Savar, Bangladesh that has now claimed over 1,120 lives. The accord, which is a version of a previously proposed agreement that was in effect turned down by several US retailers in 2011, hopes to protect the millions of Bangladeshi people that work in the country's 5,000 garment factories, for as little as $38 per month. The industry, now the second largest garment producer next to China, has seen a surge in recent years, resulting in the creation of faulty building sites and poor labor conditions. The circumstances surrounding the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory highlight the shortcomings of an industry built on loose ethics and fast, inexpensive turnaround. While the agreement looks to enforce independent building inspections and fire and safety training, it also hopes to create a more open administrative atmosphere for workers to present their concerns.Continue reading...

Sears hasn’t had an easy time of it in recent years, but neither has its customers. The retailer has been trying out any way it can to create revenue and customer traffic, and its latest plan is a lease-to-own program.

The Associated Press reports that Sears tried out allowing customers to pay in installments for big purchases such as mattresses, home appliances, furniture and electronics in 10 stores last fall and is now introducing the option at all of its 900 locations, making it the first major retailer to have such a program.

Sears began offering layaway only a few years ago during the worst of the recession, but lease-to-own would provide a way to move inventory and bring in revenue simultaneously. For customers in a bind, the lease-to-own programs allows quick access to products, unlike layaway, which needs to be paid off before pick-up. Products need to be worth $280 or more and customers aren’t allowed to sign on unless they are at least 18, can show that they make $1,000 or more a month, and have a Social Security or tax ID number.Continue reading...

Target Corp’s Cartwheel, released in public beta today, combines social networking and discounts in the retailer’s latest move to lure traffic to its physical stores and away from online rivals. 

As brick and mortar retailers struggle for relevance, fighting the growing trend of “showrooming,” they’re turning to social media to attact consumers with unique deals. Target worked with Facebook for about a year on Cartwheel, whose tagline reads, "A whole new spin on saving," where shoppers can choose from hundreds of deal items such as Target's own Threshold home goods as well as brand goodies like M&Ms candy and Coca-Cola soft drinks. 

The Cartwheel launch includes 700 new offers, and claiming any one generates automatic News Feed posts on Facebook unless the user turns them off.Continue reading...

With mobile a big focus for Target CMO Jeff Jones, the retailer recently announced a mobile incubator to come up with apps to reinvent shopping. Fast-forward to today, with the release of Cartwheel in public beta merging social networking and discounts in the retailer’s latest move to lure traffic to its physical stores and away from online rivals.

As brick and mortar retailers struggle for relevance, fighting the growing trend of “showrooming,” they’re turning to social media to attact consumers with unique deals. Target has been working with Facebook for about a year on Cartwheel—tagline: "A whole new spin on saving"—in order to let its customers on Facebook choose from hundreds of deal items such as Target's own Threshold private label home goods as well as brand goodies like M&M's candy and Coca-Cola soft drinks.

The Cartwheel launch includes 700 new offers, and claiming any one generates automatic News Feed posts on Facebook unless the user turns them off.Continue reading...