ABC tops survey of US TV-brand popularity.

Airbus plots production increase for A320 series.

Burger King struggles as it awaits impact from new menu items.

Chevron, Exxon Mobil and other oil companies defend tax breaks.

Cisco employees brace for layoffs.

DirecTV pumps up its premium channel.

Facebook thrown under the bus by Burson-Marsteller following PR campaign against Google.Continue reading...

Single serving coffee brand Tassimo is taking a page from the Old Spice Guy's well-thumbed viral playbook with its 2011 Mother's Day promotion.

In a series of YouTube videos, Tassimo singers reply with personal Mother's Day messages for consumers. The videos address Julie, Jennifer, Elizabeth and other moms whose digi-kids get a kick out of this kind of thing.Continue reading...

Airbus says Mideast unrest could wipe out up to 40% of orders.

Alfa Romeo delays planned return to US.

BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion plots a rebound.

BP flounders in Russia.

CBS prepares to part ways with Katie Couric, as Couric and Matt Lauer explore reteaming for a daytime syndicated talk show.

Charlie Sheen gets two standing ovations in NYC Sunday after bombing Friday.

Christian Louboutin sues Yves Saint Laurent for allegedly violating trademark red sole.Continue reading...

Bumper Stickler: Comcast founder Ralph Roberts wants bumper stickers on its trucks that say "I love cable." His son, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, told the US cable show in Los Angeles this week he'd worry about the trucks being vandalized, adding "We need to learn from the content industry how to market." Roberts also demonstrated (above) the first iPad TV-remote-control application at the conference today, while an "international airline" will introduce the iPad for inflight entertainment in July.

Top Hat Curtails? BP prepares new cap for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, releases first photo and reveals site's "not satisfactory" pre-disaster test.

AndroidStar: GM is in talks to link OnStar with Google phones.

Welcome Home: Haim Saban bought back $5 billion Power Rangers franchise from Disney.Continue reading...

Burger King raises the cost of its double cheeseburger from $1 to $1.19. [WSJ]

New Klondike commercials channel 'The 40 Year Old Virgin.' [BrandFreak]

Burger King will now sell Seattle's Best coffee in its restaurants. [Daily Finance]

Chevy hopes consumers feel connected with its new family-oriented ads. [Brandweek]

Microsoft adds Facebook and Myspace sites to its Outlook program. [AP]

The Federal Trade Commission puts its foot down on unemployment scams. [LA Times]Continue reading...

Fast food chains have been vying – rather successfully – for a piece of Starbucks' high-end coffee market by offering customers an improved quality coffee and even free Wi-Fi. However, the heated war for consumer coffee dollars just became a little hotter: Enter Burger King.

Burger King recently announced a deal with the Seattle's Best coffee brand. Some Burger King locations will begin serving Seattle's Best coffee in June, before going nationwide in September. The drinks will include flavored iced and other varieties one would expect to find at Starbucks-like shops. Though the details have yet to be released, the new Burger King coffee will certainly be sold under some strongly branded campaign, as Burger King's "BK Joe" coffee brand will be mothballed.Continue reading...

It's finally here! The Droid has landed! [PC World]

Will Oprah move her show to her cable network? [NY Times]

Unilever may cut prices, denies interest in Cadbury. [Times of London]

Walt Disney's Florida sports complex gets ESPN rebrand. [NY Times]

Starbucks will offer Seattle's Best coffee in Subway shops. [Seattle Times]

Verizon Wireless claims AT&T lawsuit has "no merit." [BrandWeek]

Three Fiat cars will be sold under the Chrysler brand. [NY Times]

(More headlines: New LA Times website, Izod sponsors IndyCar.)Continue reading...

Companies offer out-of-work customers career counseling and training, hoping to gain loyalty when the economy recovers. [WSJ]

Toys 'R' Us unveils an aggressive holiday sales push. Retailer plans to open 80 temporary stores, buying the rights to KB Toys and FAO Schwartz. [WaPo]

Harris Tweed removes any mention of Scotland in it US advertising, fearing backlash over the Lockerbie bomber release. [Times of London]

Google launches the Fast Flip, designed to mimic flipping through newspapers or magazines. [NY Times]

(More headlines: Starbucks teams up with Subway, Prince Charles and Conde Nast struggle, mobile ads are hated.)Continue reading...