With its most famous resident putting a "For Sale" sign in her front yard, the city of Malibu, California, is looking for new ways to attract tourists and boost income. 

CNBC reports that Malibu has signed a deal with Excel Corp. in order to start “licensing apparel, active wear, and even things like sunglasses, watches, and volleyballs” with the extra money going to “fund special projects.”

The city is forking over $90,000 for Excel to design a logo and find licensees.Continue reading...

Barack Obama and Mitt Romney aren't the only ones who want the votes of women this fall: Chevrolet is also pursuing women for the new Malibu, and so the brand has enlisted designer Isaac Mizrahi to get some fashion-forward attention for a vehicle that hasn't been known for being on the cutting edge of couture.

Mizrahi has designed a preppy collection (in patriotic colors of red, white and blue) of Chevy Malibu-inspired clothing, Malibu Style. It's exclusively being sold on the LivingSocial deals website, with its six pieces ranging from a bright blue totebag to an oversized watch, at prices ranging from $78 to $298.

The New York-based Mizrahi has colllaborated in the past with the likes of Target and QVC, but this collaboration aims at getting women to take a closer look at a nameplate that otherwise might not get their attention.Continue reading...

As brandchannel reported earlier, Toyota is in trouble. It’s bad enough that one of the world’s most reliable automakers had to recall 1.1 million of its best-selling vehicles on the heels of yet another recall, but now the competition considers the Toyota brand not only damaged, but vulnerable.

Generally, one would expect car buyers spooked by Toyota’s woes to forgo their next Camry for a Nissan Maxima or Honda Accord, but GM and Ford are aggressively trying to insert a Chevy Malibu or a Ford Fusion into the equation. GM is looking to lure current Toyota owners to GMC, Chevy, Cadillac, and Buick showrooms by offering up to $1,000 to terminate a Toyota lease, $1,000 toward a new GM purchase, or a 60-month interest-free loan.Continue reading...