Air France replaces CEO, Mercedes-Benz USA CEO is ousted in Daimler exec shuffle, and Olympus shares plunge as its CEO is fired.

Apple sells 4 million iPhone 4S units in first weekend, as Samsung sues to block the device in Japan and Australia and HTC loses Apple patent case in US. Steve Jobs' Silicon Valley memorial service reportedly filled with humor and music, as company prepares to honor late co-founder and report earnings on Tuesday. Starbucks and Apple are also partnering in the UK on free music downloads.

Mattel eyes UK's HIT Entertainment, home to Thomas the Tank Engine and other kids' properties.

Bank of America posts $6.2 billion quarterly profit, while Goldman Sachs reports $428 million loss.

BlackBerry customers receive free apps and tech support to make amends for outages.Continue reading...

Netflix abruptly abandons plans to rent DVDs and kills Qwikster brand before it launches.

Disney CEO Bob Iger announces he will step down in 2015.

American Apparel finds new fans in Europe.

Apple iPhone pre-sale orders sell out, while overall iPhone sales may not be so rosy.

Chrysler plans to pare minivan offerings as part of brand rationalization and product-portfolio streamlining  as the company winds up talks with UAW.

Conde Nast to develop video and online content.Continue reading...

Apple pre-orders for iPhone 4S will test brand loyalty and new CEO, while Steve Jobs coverage gets special treatment by newsweeklies and Simon & Schuster moves up publication of biography that will reveals his private side.

Alfa Romeo remains on uncertain road.

BMW and other luxury makers offer huge discounts in China, while Mini brand seeks to enlarge market with coupe.

ESPN and Hank Williams Jr. part ways over his "Hitler" remark concerning President Obama.

GE aims to expand lending in Europe as region's banks retrench.

Geely denies interest in Saab though it already owns Volvo.Continue reading...

As Apple gets ready to reveal the iPhone 5 today, the brand that Steve Jobs built has broken into the Top 10 of Interbrand's Best Global Brands ranking for the first time. With a brand value that increased a whopping 58%, Apple is now ranked at #8, up from #17 on last year's list, making it the biggest-rising brand this year.

Part of the rationale for Apple's leap: "great branding meeting great technology to deliver a unique overall experience," according to Interbrand's 2011 report. Looking ahead, "Steve Jobs’ recent resignation has the world curious about the impact on this innovative company as it is unclear how much of the brand’s success was due directly to Jobs’ own vision and control, and how much was due to his team—including new CEO, Tim Cook."

Technology brands dominate this year's list, accounting for seven of the top ten brands (besides Apple, there's IBM, Microsoft, Google, GE, Intel, and HP) and four of the five biggest risers. New entrant HTC, the Taiwanese mobile device-maker that recently shifted from B2B to B2C, makes its debut on the list at #98.

Check out the new 2011 report at BestGlobalBrands.com, and watch Interbrand CEO Jez Frampton's 2011 overview below.Continue reading...

American Airlines sees shares plunge on concerns over its cost structure and future.

Apple continues to stoke anticipation over today's iPhone announcement, as SEC presses on Nokia litigation.

Bloomingdale's goes nostalgic by extending Popeye and Beetle Bailey lines.

Chobani launches integrated campaign for Champions line for kids.

Citigroup faces struggle to sell assets.

Coors Light expands Jean Claude Van Damme campaign.

Cosi and activist investor scrap over company's future.Continue reading...

Best Buy faces investor skepticism of its big-box strategy amid stiffening online competition.

BP may avoid gross negligence conviction in Gulf Oil spill.

CBS drops What's Trending web TV series after Steve Jobs flub.

Cisco sets more conservative growth target.

ConocoPhillips tries to fuel more natural-gas use.

Dell sets $5-billion share buyback.

Dreamworks masters YouTube and Zynga marketing.

Facebook chases Google+ with "smart lists" feature.Continue reading...

Alibaba takes on Baidu for dominance in China.

Android rises to #2 smartphone platform in Europe.

Apple ponders disposition of its cash horde.

California Pizza Kitchen plans brand revival.

Cochlear recalls line of ear implants.

Deutsche Bank launches Autobahn App Market.

Ford unveils new three-cylinder EcoBoost engine at Frankfurt auto show.

GameStop to sell branded gaming tablet.Continue reading...

When you contemplate the generous — some would say scandalous — tax breaks enjoyed by large companies, the benefiting brands you probably recall are multinational conglomerates like GE or “too big to fail” financial firms like Goldman Sachs.

But in addition to the kinds of brands that keep PR armies constantly marching in defense of their reputations, one sector that’s enjoyed extraordinary joy every April 15, according to the New York Times, is the gaming industry.

The Times focuses on Electronic Arts, which over the last five years paid $98 million in taxes – which sounds like a painful tax bill until you compute that if EA paid the full official US corporate tax rate of 35 percent, it would have shelled out $420 million on its $1.2 billion in profits.

Conspiracy theorists could claim that IRS agents are huge fans of EA’s Madden football game franchise, but the reality is that the company can take advantage of its three-headed brand identity: it’s a software-development brand, an entertainment brand, and an online retailing brand.Continue reading...