The Dark Knight Rises was a blockbuster, but as the final installent of a trilogy, the future of the Batman series was unclear—until now. The next installment for the genre-redefining Dark Knight is as a spokesperson for Canon cameras in China.

In a series of new ads, the Dark Knight promotes Cannon's line of point and shoot digital cameras, with the superhero personally using—from his utility belt no less—the IXUS model. "Out of the darkness comes color" reads the tagline, meant to draw attention to the brand's superior image capture in low light. Canon has even built a special Dark Knight microsite to promote the partnership.Continue reading...

Apple launches Mountain Lion OS and fires pre-trial salvo including $2.5 billion damage claim at Samsung while reporting cooling iPhone sales soft earnings report.

New York Yankees look to leverage Ichiro Suzuki's personal brand.

Skype founders break up as eavesdropping concerns arise.

American Airlines ready to evaluate merger possibilities.

Ann Taylor brings back Kate Hudson for fall campaign.

Canon cuts full-year outlook.

Caterpillar begins to wear down some unionists in strike.Continue reading...

Chipotle sales slowdown leads to stock-market plunge.

Kodak risks grow after loss of patent fight.

Samsung passes 10M sales benchmark for Galaxy S3 but iPhone prevails.

Bentley plans SUV.

Cnooc stakes $15B for Canada's Nexen. 

DreamWorks buys Classic Media.

Facebook pace of revenue growth closely watched.Continue reading...

China is the second latest economy in the world, every significant brand's future is impacted by its growth (or collapse!); but who's got the time?! Check out our weekly hotpot of reads that will make you look like a keen China observer during any conversation about China. Above, a 2012 Comic-Con promo for DC Comics' three-part series, Batman in Shanghai, ahead of The Dark Knight Rises Aug. 30 opening in China. And below: the iPad makes a quiet arrival, Adidas no longer "Made in China," the NBA, "House Slaves," robots (ROBOTS!) and more.Continue reading...

Warner Bros. issues statement as The Dark Knight Rises opens somberly as Denver gunman kills 14 at screening, while movie opens strongly at box office.

Heineken offers $4.1 billion to buy out JV partner for Asia Pacific Breweries stake as Kirin's next move pondered.

Chick-fil-A homophobia shamed by actor Ed Helms.

Apple's original iPad prototype revealed as new iPad launch in China today fails to cause a fuss.

BlackBerry woes broken down to five mistakes by nymag.com.

Comcast prepares ultra high-speed broadband.Continue reading...

Mix Mountain Dew, Batman and Dale Earnhardt Jr., and somehow it all makes marketing sense. Just ask PepsiCo, which has been tying those elements and more together in a blowout summer marketing campaign around The Dark Knight Rises, which of course hits theaters this weekend.

In fact, PepsiCo believes the campaign is clicking on so many bat-cylinders that it's taking the initiative global in the first-ever worldwide marketing campaign for the iconic soft drink, scaling beyond the U.S. campaign for The Dark Knight Rises that kicked off in May, including a dewgothamcity.com microsite.

"Dew fans in the U.S. and around the world have incredible passion for the Dark Knight franchise," Brad Jakeman, president of PepsiCo's global beverages group, said in a press release. "We are excited about continuing to find unique and authentic ways to connect with Dew fans and fuel the growth of the brand around the world."

Mtn Dew is activating its campaign in nearly 20 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, inviting Dew and Dark Knight fans in all markets to its "Go Inside Gotham City" promotion which includes its new, limited-time flavor, Mtn Dew Dark Berry, inspired by the brooding caped crusader; more than 800 million bottles and cans featuring on-pack campaign graphics; digital access to exclusive content associated with the movie; and a multi-channel advertising campaign including a TV commercial designed to whet fans' appetites for the movie and the beverage.Continue reading...

The Dark Knight Rises' opening this week makes it as good a time as any to ask, do you know what the difference is between Gotham and Gotham City?

The former term associated with Batman/Bruce Wayne's hometown is not trademarked. But a recent filing by the Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation aims to change that. It also raises questions about why the filing wasn't made by DC Comics or Dark Knight movie studio, Warner Bros.Continue reading...

It was inevitable that Bane, the villain from this week's Batman reboot, The Dark Knight Rises, and Bain, the Wall Street investment firm run by Republican candidate for President Mitt Romney, would collide. With the new Batman film out this week, the time was ripe.

After the jump, a gallery of some of better (and worse) Bane-Bain fan photoshop work as well as a legitimate question if the crossover could actually improve Mitt Romney's stiff, joyless brand as the GOP frontrunner gears up for November's US presidential election.Continue reading...