Apple continues to demonstrate brand cachet but faces worry about budget-conscious iPhone buyers and iPad rival in China.

Boeing's largest plane buyer praises its communications during Dreamliner safety crisis as battery woes put FAA on hot seat.

Google stems ad-price drop but keeps struggling with mobile.

Acer defies PC industry downturn.

Allergan plans to buy MAP for $958 million.

Air New Zealand launches "blind gate" promotion.

Beam sells off value brands to focus on premium as Global Brands shakes up drinks portfolio.Continue reading...

CNN seen naming Jeff Zucker, former head of NBCUniversal, as its chief.

Groupon sees board meet on new CEO.

LinkedIn wants to solve world's skills gap.

Aldi stretches brand promise for hunger challenge.

Angry Birds sparks export boom from Finland.

Apple continues shakeup over iOS 6 maps app mishap as brand hit with patent suit over headphones.Continue reading...

For decades, if not centuries, groups of men that travel together for work or pleasure have been murmuring to one another, “You keep my secrets and I’ll keep yours.”

It was only 12 years ago that marketing firm R&R Partners borrowed the idea and came up with “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas,” which has so firmly lodged itself into popular culture that it’s hard to remember a time when the phrase didn’t exist. It’s easy to think that Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were using it back in the mid-‘60s or certainly the larger-than-life Elvis using it during his jumpsuited years there in the early ‘70s.

The phrase certainly suggests that visitors to the city go right ahead and toss whatever inhibitions they may have aside, and so plenty of folks have followed suit. You’ve got O.J. Simpson and a few pals breaking in on some sports-memorabilia peddlers. You’ve got Tiger Woods hooking up with mistresses. You’ve got Paris Hilton getting nabbed for cocaine possession.

And then Prince Harry, third in line to take over for Queen Elizabeth II, went and played some strip billiards with some gals he just met. Continue reading...

Do you think model/singer Melissa Molinaro looks like Kim Kardashian in the Old Navy spot above? And who cares? Apparently Kardashian does, enough to sue Old Navy, according to TMZ. The gossip site claims:

We're told Kim is especially furious that Old Navy has been tweeting to her page about the look-alike -- in an effort to gain even more publicity. One of those tweets read, "@CBSNEWS reports that Old Navy's Super CUTE star looks like @kimkardashian. #LOL. What do you think?" We're told Kim believes the copycat campaign has damaged her wallet somewhere in the range of $15 to $20 million.

The spot debuted in February and quickly drew comparisons to Kardashian. A month later, Molinaro — a Canadian-born aspiring entertainer who appeared on MTV's Making the Band — addressed accusations that the brand was looking to kash in by hiring her as a Kardashian Klone in an interview (watch below) with E! Online, which also called her "Kim Fauxdashian."Continue reading...

Art by Patrick Broderick/ModernHumorist.com

Exactly what kind of public and private behavior does it take for a brand to forsake a celebrity spokesperson? Apparently a lot more than what Tiger Woods has confessed to.

There are reports today that Nike and Tiger already are back together filming TV commercials again. According to TMZ, Woods was garbed in black-and-red Nike clothing during a recent shoot on the Isleworth Country Club golf course in Windermere, Fla., which is near Woods’ home.

Regardless of the veracity of this particular report, remember that Nike in fact didn’t drop Woods after the scandal broke on Thanksgiving weekend last year, while other brands including Accenture, AT&T and Gatorade have given up their endorsement relationships with the world’s best golfer and one of its most recognizable personalities.

And whether Nike is fully on board at this point or not, Tiger has become phoenix-like as his personal revival tour has gained full steam.Continue reading...

The infamous supermarket tabloid brand, The National Enquirer, is being considered for a Pulitzer Prize. Their prize-worthy coverage is the result of mounting the first and most diligent journalistic pursuit of allegations that John Edwards was having an extramarital affair and fathered an out of wedlock child.

The Enquirer’s tip line promises, “We’ll Pay Big for Your Celebrity Gossip.” And in September 2007, the first tip came in that Rielle Hunter was involved with then presidential candidate Edwards.

Normally, the tabloid wouldn’t have bothered with a political story, but when executive editor, Barry Levine googled Edwards, and discovered that his and Elizabeth’s marriage was among the most respected of all the candidates, he realized that such a story could destroy his image and fulfill the tabloid’s mission: “It still shows the reader that wealthy people, rich people, people who they may admire – when you take away the money, have the same types of problems that they have in real life.”Continue reading...

Ford and Geeley announce progress in sale of Volvo. [NY Times]

Citigroup denies WSJ report on cyber theft. [WSJ]

RIM, Blackberry email service outages, delays hinder customers. [NY Times]

Fast food chain Wendy's launches mobile coupon promotion. [BrandWeek]

Gossip web site TMZ expected to launch a sports spinoff in 2010. [NY Times]

Nordstrom poised to enter recovery ahead of competitors. [WSJ]Continue reading...