Amazon bolsters challenge to Netflix with CBS deal, nabs top spot on Harris annual brand reputation survey and mobile retail satisfaction survey.

Alitalia considers giving up independence to stay viable.

American Express tests Twitter purchases by hashtag.

Apple CEO Tim Cook gets VIP invite to President Obama's State of the Union Address; Apple to webcast Cook's conference remarks today.

Auntie Anne's Pretzels can't get Chinese to bite.

Barclay's plans to cut 3,700 jobs and change focus.

BNY Mellon releases research about insurance industry challenges.

Carnival sees engine fire disable cruise ship in Gulf of Mexico.

Coca-Cola profits rise on higher case volume.Continue reading...

The good folks at Trojan are known for their condoms, but the company doesn’t want anyone to think they have to actually wait to have a partner involved to enjoy sexual pleasure – and the company has data to back it up that you won’t find in any Election Day exit poll or Nate Silver analysis: Research from The Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University shows that 53 percent of American women and 45 percent of American men have used a vibrator in their lifetime, a Trojan press release reports.  

For Americans who haven’t experienced those good vibrations, Trojan is looking to help you out. The brand is going to be handing out free vibrators across the U.S. in the coming months, going from city to city with its trusty Pleasure Cart that will dole out a slew of vibrators rather than the hot dogs it was originally designed for. That's right, folks — the Trojan vibrator giveaway is back!

This past August, after a bit of bureaucratic interruptus, the cart rolled out in New York City and was greeted with ecstatic gratitude by thousands of New Yorkers.Continue reading...

Hot dog carts are icons of the American entrepreneurial spirit. And two that are roaming the streets of New York this week fit that spirit in a bold new way.

Instead of being filled with firm, all-beef dogs, however, these carts will be filled with (cough!) vibrators. Thanks to the folks at Trojan Vibrations, 10,000 of the things will be handed out gratis from the carts this week, according to the New York Times. Talk about good vibrations.

The carts will feature the company’s brand as well as the inevitable hot dog puns such as “Relish the moment” and “Getcha vibes here!” You can be sure joy-seeking New Yorkers will be lining up at the so-called pleasure carts on Wednesday and Thursday when the largest vibrator giveaway ever is scheduled to take place.

According to the press release, "The carts will hit hot spots around Manhattan and will be giving away free Trojan Tri-Phoria (MSRP $39.99) and Trojan Pulse Intimate Massagers (MSRP $29.99) to thousands of New Yorkers seeking a little pleasure pick-me-up." The two-day NYC vibe-a-thon gets rolling at 11am at 6th Avenue at 48th Street.

For those who need to know where the carts are as they continuing roaming the Big Apple, info will be posted continuously on the Trojan Vibration Facebook page. This isn’t the first promotion for these products, either. Last summer, Trojan embarked on a mobile "Vibe truck tour" to share the love.Continue reading...

AMC tries to enlist consumers in standoff with Dish Network.

Amazon expands use of delivery lockers and expands into social gaming.

American Airlines faces record $162 million in penalties.

Apple plans to pull YouTube app from iPhone and iPad in growing rift with Google as it grills the head of strategy for Samsung in court.

Best Buy founder moves on estranged company.

Chuck E. Cheese starts new campaign aimed at moms.

Coca-Cola deals with kick-out threats from Bolivia.Continue reading...

Kicking off this week's Brand Bites, model Bar Refaeli's new under.me lingerie line campaign channels an iconic cheeky tennis poster.

PETA take note: the Sierra Club's new "Coal Will Say Anything" campaign shows how it's done.Continue reading...

Sir Richard's Condoms is the TOMS of prophylactics. And no, it isn't one of the multitude of brands founded by Virgin-in-chief Sir Richard Branson.

“We're all for socially conscious companies, and we're also all for getting laid,” says the Boulder, Colorado-based ethical (and vegan!) condom company, which donates one condom to a country in need for every one sold.

Its distinctive packaging at right isn't the only appealing element of the brand, but also its humanitarian mission that safe sex is a basic human right. Its target audience: "discerning, responsible individuals who seek to align their purchases with the change they want to see in the world." Hence the brand's motto, “Doing good never felt better.” 

Their buy-one-give-one product is not, however, one-size-fits-all, with varieties including Pleasure Dots, Ultra Thin, Extra Large, Classic Ribbed, and a 3-Pack grab-bag, each of which is vegan-friendly and 100% natural latex.

To promote the philanthropic prophylactic, TDA Advertising and Design revived the oft-maligned 80’s accessory, the fanny pack, and placed special green packs on bikes strategically near Sir Richard’s retailers Walgreens and Whole Foods in N.Y., L.A., San Francisco and Boulder.Continue reading...

Apple hints at what it might do with some of its cash: buy Hulu.

Applebee’s implements new Facebook strategy.

Cheesecake Factory boosts menu prices to combat higher costs.

GE quarterly profits rise as finance arm continues to recover from recession.

Google grabs 20 million users with Google+.

NFL players reportedly have reservations about the new collective-bargaining agreement that kept them from approving it on Thursday after the league’s owners had OK’ed the tentative deal.

Reebok kicks off new marketing campaign.Continue reading...

• Sony is the latest of many brands to use Albert Einstein in its advertising. Except, this time it's different.

• Baidu now accounts for three fourths of all searches in China — and is poised to be Facebook's travel guide to China.

• Online restaurant info site Dianping.com (check out its app) raised $100 million to bring its valuation to a whop-ping $1 billion.Continue reading...