The week that was in branding begins with India, where Sirji 3G is offering itself as a solution to the nation's population control problem. When the power goes out, don't boink, play 3G games!

Oh, baby... Pampers ad runs alongside 300+ sex positions app.

Seized counterfeit goods are being donated to homeless in the UK.Continue reading...

Air New Zealand's Rico is back, this time with David Hasselhoff, who was down under last month to promote...Continue reading...

Alfa Romeo delays full return to US.

Amazon introduces digital textbook rentals.

American Airlines splits order between Airbus and Boeing.

Apple directors ponder succession.

BMW grows cautious on developed markets.

Borders succumbs to digital era as Barnes & Noble focuses on e-books.

Campbell expands lower-sodium soup options.Continue reading...

News Corp. shares tumble as company goes on PR offensive with print apology as News International's former head Rebekah Brooks was arrested Sunday, London's police chief quits and actor Jude Law claims his phone was hacked. Prime Minister David Cameron called in Parliament to deal with the scandal, as speculation rises about possible harm to Murdoch's US empire.

ABS by Alan Schwartz balks at design copyright protection.

Amana introduces new online shopping tool.

Australia's government launches campaign for carbon tax.

Borders faces liquidation.Continue reading...

Amazon aims to re-write tax policy for the internet era.

American Electric Power scraps plan for carbon capture at plant.

Australia carbon tax finds resistance.

Boeing clears tests of 787 Dreamliner with All Nippon Airways and meets with AMR to Airbus.

Borders on brink of liquidation.

Carrefour experiences weakening in profit.

Chrysler and Fiat merge management structure.Continue reading...

Across the globe, there is uproar over what is appropriate content on billboards. In Australia, there is talk of starting a ratings board for billboards. In the US, an atheists' billboard in Ohio keeps getting moved, while anti-abortion billboards are getting right-to-lifers worked up wherever they are placed. 

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority is pushing for legislation “to regulate the content of billboards along major thoroughfares,” according to GMANews: “We really have to strengthen our consultative sessions to get the (input) of everybody,” said  MMDA assistant general manager Tina Velasco.

What's got their knickers in a twist? Billboards featuring the country's pro rugby players in their knickers.Continue reading...

An animal rights organization is using sex to sell activism and for once it isn't PETA.

A local print flyer delivered to residents in Burleigh Heads, Australia, from a local beauty shop asks "What's New Pussycat?" and depicts a cat… placed strategically between the spread legs of a scantily-clad woman. 

It's an ad that's drawing controversy (the good kind) and controversy (the bad kind). And for one brand, it's not the first time this has happened.

The ad, from the Recreate Yourself Hair and Beauty Salon, states that for every wax service, the salon will donate $1 to the Animal Welfare League (AWL).

As should have been expected, some have reacted poorly to the ad. The salon owners have defended the ad and, for its part, the AWL has publicly embraced it.

On its Facebook page, the salon posted a picture of the controversial ad in the paper and commented: "Just had a phone call from a lady who works at the Animal Welfare League to say that she loves the flyer and its amazingly done, she also said thanks to the team and our clients for raising money for their cause! book in today and we'll donate $1 from every wax to the AWL. They need the money and you prob need the wax)"

But the real controversy may not be what the ad suggests, but that it's been done before, almost exactly.Continue reading...

In America, the team owners of the NFL and NBA have locked out their own players as the two sides try to hammer out new collective bargaining agreements that will make every one feel like they are getting a fair chunk of the massive financial pie.

In Australia, the players of the Australian Football League aren’t happy about the way they are being treated, either. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that they have come up with a way to show their displeasure without having a full strike: covering up the AFL logo on their jerseys.Continue reading...