How does a 69-year old candy brand stay young, fresh and vibrant? For M&M's, the answer is continuous innovation.

In recent years, the candy's maker, Mars, has introduced dancing animated mascots, new colors, new flavors, holiday tie-ins, and personalized M&M's — not to mention M&M's created by consumers that feature words, colors, and even photos. Now M&M's has a new twist: pretzels. Mars is pitching M&M's Pretzel, which contain a pretzel nugget in milk chocolate covered by the famous candy shell, with its "biggest launch in a decade," says Mars VP Carole Walker.Continue reading...

Not since the early 1990s has there been so much hoopla over late night talk shows.

In 1992, NBC anointed Jay Leno as Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show” replacement, setting off a bitter series of events that involved David Letterman -- considered by many to be Carson's logical successor -- and CBS, where only a year later Letterman began hosting “The Late Show” during the same timeslot.

A 16-year rivalry between Letterman and Leno ensued, an epic standoff of Coke/Pepsi proportions. Then, in 2009, Leno stepped aside -- amicably but against his will -- so the popular Conan O’Brien could helm the show. NBC, wanting to have its cake and gorge on it too, gave company-man Leno the 10pm slot to do what he had been doing at 11:35pm in order to prevent Fox or ABC from grabbing him.Continue reading...

To ring in 2009, Nivea created the “Kiss and Be Kissed” campaign and gave away 25,000 free goodies to revelers in Times Square to promote its latest Lip Care collection.

This year, the brand's “Nivea XOXO Chain” promotion expanded the idea by encouraging consumers to kiss and hug in the name of charity. With each documented physical connection uploaded to Nivea's website on New Year's Eve, one dollar was donated to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America volunteer organization. The videos and photos were then linked together into a virtual chain of affection.Continue reading...