The @49ers new football home will be called Levi's Stadium. CEO Jed York calling it the "Field of Jeans."

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) May 8, 2013

In the insanely crazy years of the California Gold Rush from 1849 to 1855, hundreds of thousands of people poured into San Francisco and the surrounding areas. Levi Strauss was one of them, but he didn’t come for gold. He came to establish his family dry-goods business and help clothe and outfit all those 49ers looking to strike it rich.

Strauss, of course, had hit on a formula that would make him and his family exceedingly wealthy. Now a whole different kind of 49ers will be benefiting from his legacy.

Word came Wednesday that the denim powerhouse Levi Strauss & Co. would shell out $220.3 million over 20 years to put its name on the new Santa Clara stadium that will be home to the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers starting next year. That price is one of the heftiest in pro sports and should help offset the $1.2 billion it is taking to build what will now be called Levi’s Stadium.Continue reading...

Coca-Cola promises to reduce marketing to kids as part of global anti-obesity commitment.

Levi Strauss buys naming rights to planned new stadium of San Francisco 49ers.

Lay's reveals chip-flavor contest winner.

Abercrombie & Fitch draws fire for stocking only "skinny" sizes for women.

Activision Blizzard warns "World of Warcraft" is losing subscribers.

AT&T severely slashes Facebook Home phone prices.

BT enters British-sports broadcasting.

Claire's IPO will test market for debt-laden companies.

Ford takes over as title sponsor of Detroit's annual fireworks.

Google Maps will reportedly unveil new interface.Continue reading...

Nike’s Air Force 1 just celebrated 30 years, hitting stores way back in 1982 as the first basketball shoe to use its Nike Air technology. It’s been a huge success for the brand, and has become a collector’s item for sneakerheads. Its recent appearance in front of the Supreme Court, normally a place where sneakers don't dare to tread, may only increase its appeal to collectors.

The trouble began back in 2009 when a small shoemaker, Already LLC, which makes Yums sneakers was sued by Nike for infringing on its Air Force 1 trademark with the design of its Soulja Boy shoes.

The Yums brand owner responded countersued before Nike “issued a covenant not to sue, promising not to raise any trademark or unfair competition claims against Already or any affiliated entity based on Already’s existing footwear designs, or any future Already designs,” World Trademark Review reports. “Nike then moved to dismiss its claims with prejudice, and to dismiss Already’s counterclaim without prejudice on the ground that the covenant had extinguished the case or controversy.”Continue reading...

Greenpeace has added Uniqlo to its list of global fashion brands and retailers signing its Detox pledge, making "a public commitment to eliminate all releases of hazardous chemicals throughout its entire global supply chain and products by 2020."

The commitment covers all Fast Retailing-owned brands — Uniqlo, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse TamTam, GU and Theory — which together operate more than 2,000 stores. "Uniqlo recognises clean water as a critical global issue, and is proud to join Greenpeace in its campaign to eliminate hazardous chemical use," stated Yukihiro Nitta, Fast Retailing's executive in charge of social responsibility. The company also vowed to disclose discharge data from at least 80% of its global suppliers (including all their facilities) by the end of this year.  

As the environmental group blogged, the Uniqlo deal "comes just a month after Zara, Mango, Esprit and Levi's announced similar individual commitments, responding to waves of pressure from activists and consumers around the world. Competitors in the fashion world including GAP, G-Star Raw and Calvin Klein are looking increasingly out of touch now that 12 of the world's top high street fashion brands have committed to Detox." Other Detox signatories include Adidas, C&A, H&M, Nike, Puma and M&S.

Dockers 2013 “Get Dressed Like You Mean It”

Dockers, the Levis Strauss brand of khaki garments and accessories, has been helping men get dressed since 1986, when "business casual" and "casual Fridays" came into vogue. While Dockers introduced a line for women in 1987, its core emphasis remains the sartorially-smarter male with belts, pants, leather wallets and shoes – all along with comfort and ease. 

When "metrosexuals" and "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" urged men to spiff up, Dockers premiered its "Wear The Pants" campaign during the 2010 Super Bowl, the first Super Bowl ad offering an exclusive, limited time online offer for viewers with the hopes of skewing younger.

But now we're heading into 2013, and workplace attire has evolved (look at Levi's commuter line and even how streetwear brands like BAPE are office-acceptable — for creatives, at least), so Dockers is promoting a “Get Dressed Like You Mean It” social/video platform, one “designed to equip guys with a solid foundation of refined yet rugged wardrobe essentials that take the guess-work out of “what-to-wear” and “how-to-wear it.”Continue reading...

Apple launches Mountain Lion OS and fires pre-trial salvo including $2.5 billion damage claim at Samsung while reporting cooling iPhone sales soft earnings report.

New York Yankees look to leverage Ichiro Suzuki's personal brand.

Skype founders break up as eavesdropping concerns arise.

American Airlines ready to evaluate merger possibilities.

Ann Taylor brings back Kate Hudson for fall campaign.

Canon cuts full-year outlook.

Caterpillar begins to wear down some unionists in strike.Continue reading...

BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion saw its shares slump today after warning Wall Street that it's forecasting an operating loss for the first quarter. With the company hiring bankers at JPMorgan and RBC to explore a sale, investors worried and layoffs looming, the Canadian government dismissed rumors of a possible takeover.

Other brand news:

Best Buy store closures spur Walmart ads.

NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg bans sale of large sodas and sugary drinks.

GM is shifting Chevrolet ad budget from Super Bowl to sponsoring the popular Manchester United soccer team.

Disney Channel joins the TV Everywhere brigade.

Exxon Mobil shareholders approve executive pay.Continue reading...

The Netherlands-based Clean Clothes Campaign, the garment industry's largest alliance of labor unions and non-governmental organizations, has already convinced apparel retailers and designers including Armani, Versace, Gucci, H&M and Levi Strauss & Co to ban sandblasted jeans for endangering workers' lives.

As the CCC's website details, giving denim that "lived in" look by high-pressured sandblasting contaminates the air and can contribute to silicosis, a fatal lung disease. Now Target has announced it is joining the global ban on the technique; find out more in the budget retailer's blog post. Still under pressure by labor activists to join the ban: Dolce & Gabbana.

Below, watch a Levi Strauss video featuring chief supply chain officer David Love marking the company's first anniversary of no-sandblasting last September.Continue reading...