Adidas aims to outrun Nike with bouncier shoes (Boost), Google ad test and increased soccer focus as Confederation Cup and FIFA World Cup loom, while Nike feels the heat in China.

Disney's Oz: The Great and Powerful wins weekend box office, marking a comeback for Disney's studio arm.

Old Spice introduces wolfish marketing director to boost men's animal magnetism.

America's Brand USA global marketing arm expands reach with $200M boost and German campaign.

Apple CEO Tim Cook may testify in e-book antitrust suit.

Beam looks past corruption scandal with new brand strategy in India.

Bumblebee and Chicken of the Sea expand U.S. tuna recall.Continue reading...

Last year was a banner year for western auto brands selling their wares in China, but it may have been a high-water mark. So while General Motors, Ford, Volkswagen and BMW were among European and American automakers that enjoyed big increases in sales in the world's largest car market last year, they're likely to find the going at least a bit rougher in 2012.

Meanwhile, the reverse — the influence of the fast-developing auto industry in China on the rest of the world — increasingly is making itself felt through these brands. GM, for instance, now plans to offer in India later this year the Chevrolet Sail sedan that was conceived in Shanghai and already is sold in Chile, Ecuador and Algeria.

Two years ago, auto deliveries in China spurted by 32 percent as the government offered big consumer tax breaks and rebates, and the size of the market finally overtook that of the much less populous United States. But after the government's stimulus measures ended last year, China's auto sales slowed to just a 2.5-percent increase over 2010, or a total of about 18.5 million vehicles.Continue reading...

General Motors, already the “biggest overseas automaker in China,” launched a new brand Tuesday today designed to appeal to Chinese consumers — Baojun.

GM has had success with sales in China with its Buick and Chevrolet autos. Now, the introduction of the Baojun brand, with a slogan that translates in English to "Trustworthy Companion" across China with a "launch tour," Reuters reports, will provide direct competition for “indigenous players, such as Geely Automobile Holdings, which now dominates smaller cities and townships with affordable models.”Continue reading...

As Japan crisis continues and Tokyo Electric Power raises concerns, GE's $1 billion nuclear business is at risk as US ponders future of nuclear energy. The estimated hit to Japan's economy (so far): $200 billion.

AOL is repositioning to attract more women.

Chicago tests 911 cellphone pictures and video.

Daimler weighs paying higher dividends.

Facebook patents curated search.

Guinness to roll out soccer-themed game show in Africa.Continue reading...

Airlines' 2010 profit projected to soar, according to adjusted IATA outlook.

Apple finally makes its iPhone 4 smartphone available in China.

Asda, the British arm of Wal-Mart, is spending $155 million relaunching its private-label line.

BMW brings Apple's iPad to the back seat of X3.

Chrysler unveiled new Jeep models and plans to dealers, including a pickup.

CSS unveiled a new global brand identity.

DirecTV may lower prices of NFL Sunday Ticket to boost customer base.

Google sparks a new privacy code in Germany over the capabilities of its Street View.Continue reading...

BHP fails to win key political backing for Potash bid.

CNN and Eliot Spitzer prepare Oct. 4 debut of talkshow featuring the former NY state governor.

GMAC halts some evictions and sales of foreclosed homes as it corrects "a potential issue" in its foreclosure process.

Google, TiVo and Microsoft are racing to build an ad business for Web-connected TV spots.

HP and former CEO Mark Hurd settle lawsuit over his hiring by Oracle.Continue reading...

You remember GM, don't you? The U.S. automaker that declared bankruptcy and killed off beloved brands like Pontiac and breakthrough brands like Saturn in America?

Well today GM is a very different company — and it seems to be pinning its hopes for growth in markets other than the United States.

GM, in a joint venture with Chinese partners SAIC and Wuling Motors, has announced the launch of a new Chinese car brand, Baojun (the Chinese word for "treasured horse"). We're sensing a trend here — GM's move also follows Hermès' announcement that it's launching a distinct brand, called Shang Xia, for China.Continue reading...