The way the world communicates with one another is ever-evolving as new technologies continue to appear and social media continues to introduce new avenues of expression. With that, brands are always finding new ways to touch their customers and all of the classic branding rules are being tossed out the window.

Olympic sponsorship has long been a way for major brands to reach consumers every few years, but international Olympic executives are looking to possibly shift how the model works in order to embrace this new world.

The sponsorship model now in place brings in $1 billion, according to the Financial Times, but the IOC is planning to “take a step back” and re-assess the sponsorship strategy going forward.Continue reading...

Adbusters' role in branding Occupy movement examined in New York Times as Occupy LA protesters dig in heels.

Amazon eyes China growth.

Apple critiqued for not getting social media (but does it matter to brand loyalists?) as digi-savvy toddlers' parents fuel iPad sales.

Black Friday sales boost LG and Samsung as e-tailers are poised for Cyber Monday lift.

BSkyB's James Murdoch loses investors' confidence.

China's Chery automaker launches Qoros brand as Subaru joint venture gains lifeline.

Coach, expanding in China, will list shares on  Hong Kong's Hang Seng stock exchange.

Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Nestle and Mars sign European pledge to only promote nutritious products on their websites.

Disney releases mobile app for Spider-Man, as the Marvel-owned web-slinger finds his feet on Broadway.Continue reading...

Among the Olympics sponsors celebrating the 365-day countdown to the start of the London 2012 summer games, Adidas taped this promo with rapper Snoop Dogg. The spot's description:

Snoop Dogg and Warren G joined British triple jumper Phillips Idowu in a 3 on 3 basketball match against GB basketballers in the Olympic borough of Greenwich, London, to mark the one year to go countdown to the London 2012 Olympic Games. Snoop Dogg is all in, Warren G is all in, Idowu is all in. London 2012, adidas is all in.

The London 2012 site is sponsoring a Twitter promotion today, inviting fans from around the world to "fill its stadium" with tweets. According to Marketing Week, 2012 sponsors running "one year to go" promotions in the UK include BP, Lloyds Bank, British Airways and Holiday Inn:Continue reading...