Australia's Gold Coast unveils new place branding campaign.

Brett Favre apologizes to Minnesota Vikings teammates for distraction of sexting inquiry.

Google competes with the Consumer Price Index by tracking inflation with its own Price Index.

Gymboree was sold today for $1.8 billion.

Hasbro transitions to a "branded play" company.

HBO lands all-star cast for Too Big to Fail movie.

IBM shares hit an all-time high today.Continue reading...

Google TV announced its programming partners, including TV networks HBO and CNBC (but not, notably, ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC) and Web players including Twitter. Google also launched a microsite to highlight the new offering.

In addition to the Google TV partnership and formally launching promoted tweets today, Twitter CEO Evan Williams announced he's stepping down from the top spot to focus on product strategy. As expected, COO Dick Costolo is moving up to the CEO's role.

The U.S. Justice Department sues American Express (Visa and MasterCard settled) for alleged anti-competitive practices that prevent merchants from offering discounts and raise prices for consumers.

Cisco exec Tony Bates is the new CEO of Skype, which is reportedly in integration talks with Facebook.Continue reading...

In the run-up to the release of the story-behind-Facebook film The Social Network, (the movie brought to you by non-Facebookers), we argued that Facebook has nothing to fear, but one brand does (Harvard). Now, a look at some films, both fictional and not, that skewered big brands and companies, and what effect they had.

Film: Thank you for Smoking

Brand(s) Involved: Big tobacco is lampooned in general but Marlboro takes a particularly big hit as the film features a dying Marlboro Man spokesman.

Impact: Funny? Absolutely. Telling us anything we didn't already know about tobacco? Nope.

Read on for more.Continue reading...

AMD warns of a sales shortfall.

Apple TV divides networks as NBC refuses to play ball.

Avis raises bid for Dollar Thrifty in last-ditch effort to trump Hertz.

Blockbuster is assessing each store as it works through bankruptcy.

Daimler is cutting costs with Euro refinancing scheme.

Disney Interactive head Steve Wadsworth resigns.

GM's IPO hopes are trimmed by the US government.Continue reading...

Ally Financial's legally iffy foreclosures may affect other US mortgage lenders.

Blockbuster nears bankruptcy filing.

Chrysler could add value to Fiat, European analysts say.

Conde Nast is bullish on revenue growth from digital apps.

Disney insider pleads guilty to leaking confidential information about the company’s earnings.

General Mills sees quarterly increase from organic and cereal products.

Google does some rare advertising – in Times Square.Continue reading...

* AIG talks with the U.S. government about ending taxpayer aid.

* AT&T connects local search to emotions in new marketing campaign.

* Bank of America relies more on cross-selling and less on acquisitions under new CEO Brian Moynihan.

* Dell shifts focus back to big business.

* Gatorade plunges into social media to help revive flagging brand.

* Google Instant challenges brands with more than one name.Continue reading...

* Burger King introduces The King in the UK.

* Ford plans to get Lincoln dealers fired up about the brand.

* GE and PepsiCo are among firms recognized for global sustainability efforts by the U.S. government.

* Google and Adobe applaud Apple’s relaxation of restrictions on apps development.

* Honda's CR-Z is coming to a 3D billboard in Times Square.

* Kimberly-Clark UK releases slimline Kleenex Pockets for men.Continue reading...

* Oracle's Larry Ellison will fight HP's lawsuit over Mark Hurd's hiring.

* BP assumes partial blame for the Gulf disaster, citing a series of factors in its just-released report.

* Oprah Winfrey uses clout to launch syndicated talk show featuring her designer, Nate Berkus.

* Vodafone sold its China Mobile stake for $6.6 billion.

* Samsung's Galaxy S phone will be offered by China's three mobile carriers.

* Anheuser-Busch scored a "partial victory" in legal battle with an Illinois distributor.Continue reading...