Altria launches tobacco rights website.

Apple sees its devices dominate mobile ordering as brand plans books announcement and sets Red Friday sales event for Asia.

Avery Dennison sells office and consumer products business to 3M.

Axe woos young males with interactive comic book.

Bentley plans luxury SUV.

BMW sees 2012 premium growth.

BP sues Halliburton over Gulf spill, includes anti-BP protesters in new ad.

Bridgestone kicks off Super Bowl campaign at NHL Winter Classic.

Brisk ties into Star Wars 3D theatrical launch with mobile campaign.

Cadbury adopts vertical shelf-ready packaging.Continue reading...

Bluetooth consortium creates consumer retail mark.

Bon Appetit sells branded culinary products on HSN.

Cigna is buying HealthSpring for $3.8 billion. 

Harley-Davidson recalls 308,000 motorcycles for brake issue.

Jeremy Scott unveils latest ObyO sneaker line for Adidas.

Jim Beam invites "biggest liquor takeover since 2005."

JPMorgan Chase and other financial firms test social marketing.

Mattel signs deal to acquire Thomas the Tank Engine parent HIT Entertainment for $680 million with backing from Apax Partners.

MTV plans Occupy Wall Street reality special, as American couple looks to cash in on Occupy Wall Street with trademark move.

Netflix subscriber losses are worse than expected.

NFL and American Idol duke it out for priciest US TV spot.

Oracle expands its cloud footprint with $1.43 billion RightNow acquisition.

Saab brand woes detailed in New York Times.

Yahoo attracts more potential suitors.

Cigna’s “Go You” campaign theme, “You were born an original. Make sure you stay that way,” is pitch perfect for an industry reinventing itself as consumers prepare for the health-overhaul laws that will require most Americans to carry health insurance by 2014.

Maggie FitzPatrick, Chief Communications Officer for Cigna, told brandchannel that their customers “want to be treated as individuals. Our surveys show that people place tremendous value on personalization and being in control.  This sense of control applies to both their health and health care costs.”Continue reading...

Ally Bank this week rolls out its "People Sense" campaign. Below, watch more new spots from Chrysler, Cigna, Dove, T-Mobile, Transamerica and more.Continue reading...

Disney sees Lion King 3-D dominate weekend box office.

Netflix separates movie-streaming and DVD-delivery services, renames DVD biz Qwikster; CEO says he "messed up."

AT&T and Coca-Cola set out to reinvent web audience measurement as Coke varies its bottle sizes.

Alfa Romeo delays U.S. return, spooking Fiat dealers who are counting on selling the brand.

Airbus raises forecast for aircraft demand.

AP launches mobile version of Sunday newspaper FSIs.

Blackstone teams up with Prestige Brands on GlaxoSmithKline unit bid.Continue reading...

How do customers feel about their experiences interacting with leading brands? Forrester, a leading independent research firm, analyzed responses from over 7,700 U.S. consumers, age 18 and older, who were asked three essential questions about 154 North American brands in 13 industries:

1. How enjoyable were they to do business with?

2. How easy were they to do business with?

3. How well did they meet your needs?

The answers were fascinating — and somewhat bracing.Continue reading...

Amway signs former NFL Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner.

AOL is mulling a breakup, Reuters hears, followed by a merger with Yahoo.

Borders weighs hedge fund backing of takeover attempt of Barnes & Noble.

China Dandang aims to be mainland's Amazon with US IPO this week.

Cigna faces class-action suit by employees over pensions under ERISA.

Disney tops weekend box office with Tangled.Continue reading...

Starbucks today announced it will raise prices on "labor-intensive and larger-sized drinks" due to soaring coffee prices; while CEO Howard Schultz praises social media as key to brand-building, and announces additional content partner for digital network.

Aetna, Cigna and other US insurers face a key deadline tomorrow, when parts of the new healthcare law affecting children's coverage go into effect.

Blockbuster reportedly scheduling bankruptcy tomorrow with loan.

Boeing's final test 787 model is held up by technical issues.

Facebook is starting to see real revenue from virtual Credits payment program.Continue reading...