American Airlines defends $20-million severance pay to CEO.

Deutsche Bank forced to restate 2012 profits due to U.S. lawsuits.

Google will package and brand chat services as Babble.

T-Mobile readies "Uncarrier" no-contract pricing plan and proposed board structure, while AT&T introduces no-contract wireless phone service and Sprintlaunches de-branded Android smartphones.

7-Eleven sues 7-SEVEN chain for trademark infringement.

Apple brand found to be less "inspiring" than it was three years ago in new consumer survey.Continue reading...

It can be difficult to find anyone holding up a lighter anymore at concerts. There are few smokers, for one thing, and most concertgoers just hold up their phones (annoying anyone behind them not doing the same). There’s an app for everything, apparently.

But that doesn’t mean that lighters aren’t out there. Zippos has continued to crank them out no matter what the music of the day or what exactly needs to be set on fire. The brand just passed a major milestone, celebrating the production of its 500 millionth windproof pocket lighter on June 5th. The event (coincidentally?) fell on the birthday of the Pennsylvania company’s late founder, George G. Blaisdell.Continue reading...

TD takes top spot on Interbrand's new Best Canadian Brands ranking.

JCPenney continues claw-back of new business model, plans to use term "sale" again.

Sara Lee renames North American business Hillshire Brands and narrows focus to meat.

Apple uses more celebrities in marketing; what does that say about new products?

Justin Bieber debuts another fragrance concept called Girlfriend.

Burger King expands in Russia.

Clear Channel shifts royalty deal for music artists including Taylor Swift's label.Continue reading...

President Obama unveils US budget plan to trim deficit, with $4 trillion in cuts over 12 years, keeping Medicare and Medicaid, and curbs on charity write-offs. The 2012 race in mind, Barack and Michelle Obama also plan to appear on Oprah's May 2nd show.

Apple's iPhone 5 said to be coming this summer, while do-not-track tool added to new Safari browser. Sony, meanwhile, lands top spot for consumer electronics in latest Harris Poll.

Barry Bonds found guilty of osbtruction of justice.

LeBron James bumps Kobe Bryant for the bestselling NBA jersey, as Bryant accused of anti-gay slur.

BP cleanup funds come under scrutiny.Continue reading...

The numerous Apple Macbook product placements in this week's new #1 film, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules, are especially noteworthy since it's clear the filmmakers went to pains to avoid showing other brands.

Instead of identifiable real brands, the producers inserted generic products like "Creamy" brand peanut butter and "Ice Up" soft drinks.

In fact, the prominence of Apple's roles in Wimpy Kid 2 make the brand's claims about not paying for product placement increasingly difficult to believe. The person who might know? Peter Cummings, the film's credited product placement coordinator, who evidently spent a great deal of time "placing" one major brand — Apple.Continue reading...

Aon plans to spend much of its big cash hoard to buy back shares.

Audi takes aim at toppling BMW.

Bank of America says home-loan business is recovering.

Barbie hits $3 billion in global annual sales as brand shutters China flagship.

Boeing gets a boost from China orders.

Cap’n Crunch gains guerrilla-fueled “success” in social media.

CBS, Warner Bros. and Charlie Sheen are at war, as Sheen apparently plans to sue post-firing.Continue reading...

We have to admit to being fascinated with Zippo's brand extension into fragrances — beyond the Zippo-style flip-top opening (and iconic click) to its men's fragrance bottles.

Founded in 1932, the American lighter brand (just named #31 on Time magazine's All-TIME 100 Gadgets list) has stretched its equity to cross over categories and insert itself into the highly competitive category of scents.

The hope, of course, is that the four million collectors of Zippo lighters just in the U.S. will transfer that avid passion for the brand to start using Zippo's cologne, and related "men's essentials" (body and hair wash, plus deodorant).Continue reading...

While we were joking about brand extensions for Glenn Beck and Playboy, Promethean brand Zippo was expanding its offerings from the iconic metal flip lighter. From a Zippo Hand Warmer to "writing instruments," Zippo has a lot more to offer the human race than fire. In fact, new plans show that Zippo plans to warm us with more than fire. Continue reading...