Amazon exceeds Kindle sales estimates.

American Airlines allowed to exit Orbitz partnership.

Burberry CEO rewarded for bumper year.

Cisco eschews cloud services.

Comcast, Verizon and other US cable/telco broadband operators must abide by new net neutrality rules.

Deutsche Bank settles tax shelter case.

FDA powers broaden in new US food safety bill.Continue reading...

Amway signs former NFL Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner.

AOL is mulling a breakup, Reuters hears, followed by a merger with Yahoo.

Borders weighs hedge fund backing of takeover attempt of Barnes & Noble.

China Dandang aims to be mainland's Amazon with US IPO this week.

Cigna faces class-action suit by employees over pensions under ERISA.

Disney tops weekend box office with Tangled.Continue reading...

Our Apple Product Placement watch updates typically fall within Apple's home turf of the US. But a new film from China is proving that product placement is international. In fact, we may need to be worrying about China besting us in this sector as well.Continue reading...

Apple, poised for record-breaking sales quarter, ignites guessing game ahead of iTunes-related announcement.

AstraZeneca reportedly looks to unload unit for $2 billion.

BP attracts investment from T. Boone Pickens.

Comcast plans iPad app as top digital executive, Amy Banse, is tapped to head up Comcast/NBC Universal investment fund in Silicon Valley and top lobbyist David Cohen pushes for "self-regulation" of the Internet.

Diesel's racy ad shoot shocks law school library.

Digg's former CEO Jay Adelson lands at SimpleGeo.

EMC buys data storage rival Isilon for $2.4 billion.

Facebook, now the #3 Web company, is integrated into Microsoft Office.

FedEx, PG&E and Nissan seek U.S. government subsidies for electric vehicles.Continue reading...

Once the candy of young adults, social media is now becoming the meat and potatoes of valuable brands and value-oriented consumers.  But it’s no longer enough to stick a logo, some boilerplate marketing copy and a handful of ads on your Twitter, Fourquare or Facebook page and call it a campaign.  As social media becomes analogous with social reality, users want to – you know – socialize with their favorite brands the way they do with their friends: through open dialogue and unique, fun and mutually beneficial exchanges. 
 
Welcome to the age of social commerce. Social media—specifically, a strategic social media presence—not only supports but also shapes consumer and brand behavior and increases brand and personal value.  Why?  Let’s break this down. You allow an entire network to review your Tweets about recent purchases, Tumblr posts about cool finds, or Facebook likes and dislikes.  That network cares about what you have to say, which validates your opinions and amplifies your confidence, your I-have-something -to-add chops.  It’s social currency and makes you a more desirable friend online and offline. Brands are starting to get it, and are giving consumers a reason to feel special and wanted via social media outlets.  Continue reading...

Alexander McQueen label settles with Hells Angels by agreeing to destroy merchandise with skull logo.

Apple challenged by 2010 MacBook Air owners reporting logic board and display issues.

Best Buy goes national with online launch.

Hermes tells LVMH to back off.

J. Crew promotes self-gifting for the holidays.

J.P. Morgan Vice Chairman Steve Black is leaving the firm.Continue reading...

You can't spell the brand "Yakult probiotic yogurt" without "yak." (above)

"Do you realize that toilet paper has not changed in my lifetime? It's just paper on a cardboard roll, that's it. And in ten thousand years, it will still be exactly the same because really, what else can they do?" George Costanza, meet the new tube-less Scott toilet paper.

Can branded content be funny? Is branded content just another name for product placement? Yes and yes.

Hermes and Yamaha unveil their $62,000 motorcycle (but does it come with Kelly Saddlebags?)

Expectations run high for slogans and signs at tomorrow's Stewart/Colbert rally in DC.Continue reading...

Acer is launching a line of tablet PCs.

Apple launches Chinese app store.

Bill Clinton, one-man Michelin star?

BMW recall may have been prompted by ABC News investigation.

BP CEO Bob Dudley vows company will remain committed to America.

British Airways expands mobile boarding to BlackBerry and Android smartphones.

Budweiser's new UK spot features giant game of pool.Continue reading...