Above, watch Interbrand Global CEO Jez Frampton's master class on what makes a world-changing brand. In this program, Jez shares real-world stories as he discusses the building of world-leading brands, and the fundamentals of brand valuation that determine Interbrand's Top 100 Best Global Brands annual ranking. 

This video was filmed before a live audience for the What's Next? television series that airs across Latin America. It's produced by HSM Global, producers of the World Business Forum, and airs on their ManagemenTV network. It's also distributed online by HSM's Wobi.com, which provides insights and inspiration dedicated to building better businesses, better people, and a better world — all themes that Frampton discusses in this video.

The organizers of the Digital Media Summit today in Toronto tweeted the following question: "Are you guilty of 'social notworking'?"

Some new research spearheaded by Jeff Mancini, Interbrand's New York-based senior director of digital strategy, who's also a participant at the conference, reveals how companies are guilty of 'social notworking' — and what they can do about it.

Interbrand's just-released survey of 672 companies across 10 sectors — in a new report titled "From Digital Strategy to Brand Mastery" — takes the pulse of corporate social marketing efforts with some telling results:Continue reading...

Interbrand Global CEO Jez Frampton this week announced Japan’s Best Global Brands 2012 in a keynote speech in Tokyo.

“It’s a testament to the excellence of this country’s leading companies and the wealth of talent their brands represent,” Frampton commented. "It's not just 'business as usual' we are witnessing. It's business driven by passion and a will to overcome adversity."

The remarkable success stories highlighted in the new ranking includes such top Japanese brands as Toyota, Honda, Canon, Sony, Nintendo, Panasonic, Nissan, Lexus, Toshiba and Komatsu.Continue reading...

Amazon's brand value soars 32% in Interbrand's 2012 Best Retail Brands report.

Apple's iPad challenger Proview is open to a settlement as Apple extends checks on Chinese suppliers. Apple also signed China Telecom as second iPhone seller.

Cabela's expands and rolls out smaller-store format.

Coca-Cola sponsors teen parties in Tanzania.

FedEx may be eyeing TNT Express.

Ford signals moderate growth and expansion in China.

Gap teams with fashion bloggers for Be Bright global launch.Continue reading...

Gap, J.Crew and other retailers slash prices, as stores try to thwart price apps, and tweak websites to spur sales.

A&W is sold by Yum! Brands to A Great American Brand.

Absolut celebrates 30 years of gay ads.

Adidas pursues church for trademark infringement; church asks Derrick Rose to intercede.

Akamai purchases cloud rival.

Apple isn't expected to produce a smaller iPad, although fuel-cell MacBooks are rumored. Apple's online sales also exceed Walmart.com results.

AT&T's $1.93 billion deal for Qualcomm's airwaves approved.

Bebe expands with wedding collection.

Best Buy criticized for not fulfilling some holiday online orders.

BT's long-running family campaign in the UK ends its run.

Burberry, Forever 21 and Zara score on Facebook.Continue reading...

If you have a big idea, especially if you're a designer, the Industrial Designers Society of America (better known as the IDSA) annual competition is the place to show off your spark of creative genius.

IDEA® (International Design Excellence Awards) is an international design competition honoring design excellence in products, ecodesign, interaction design, packaging, strategy, research and concepts. Entries are invited from designers, students and brands worldwide.

The competition opened to submissions on December 1 and runs through February 10 (with a Feb. 17 late deadline already announced). Finalists start receiving notifications that they've made the first cut on March 20, and the final judging is from May 2-4. Winners will be announced on July 2, and the ceremony is on August 18.

At a whopping $300 per entry as an IDSA member, and $400 per entry for non-members, you may ask yourself why spend all the money? The short answer: the benefits of entering the contest and the experience gained are well worth it, not to mention the pay-off for winning.Continue reading...

AOL reorganizes into four business units.

Apple softens stance to lure mobile ads, as iAds seen as rare failure for Steve Jobs.

AT&T deal with T-Mobile granted a delay by judge.

BBC to make World News available through Comcast.

China Mobile tops Millward Brown ranking of Chinese brands.

Deloitte sees gamification as one of the top tech trends of 2012.

Facebook seen as not needing Wall Street to go public; tests private messages between people and pages.

HP dumps its iPad rival on eBay.

IHOP opens fast-casual IHOP Express.

Ikea sues Irish home retailer for allegedly copying prints.

Intel tells customers they can turn up the heat in server rooms.

Interbrand named branding agency of the year by Marketing magazine.Continue reading...

In 1999, British filmmaker Jeremy Gilley launched Peace One Day, a non-profit organization to promote an annual day of peace and global ceasefire, encouraging nations at war to put down their weapons for just one day — and hopefully inspire them to keep them down. In 2001 the United Nations unanimously adopted Peace Day, making September 21 the day each year that Gilley's dream would take place.

For Peace Day 2012, Gilley's Peace One Day is hoping for not only a global truce, but the biggest reduction in global violence in recorded history. In order to achieve the biggest ever call for peace, the organization needs to brand its day and effort more effectively, and is reaching out to young people for help.

Peace One Day has partnered with D&AD, the UK's Design & Art Direction organization, on a student award inviting creative work to brand Peace Day 2012 and, on a bigger scale, the mission of Peace One Day. It's a creative brief designed to inspire tomorrow's creative superstars, and inspire real change in the world.Continue reading...