Kia has forged a reality-show sponsorship with Univision as a way of tapping into its fast-growing appeal to Hispanic consumers and as the latest initiative in its efforts to become a brand known more for fun than for fuel economy.

The partnership is around the beauty pageant show Nuestra Belleza Latina, of which Kia will become the official automotive partner. Among many tie-ins on the air, online and everywhere else will be the season's winner receiving a 2014 Forte compact sedan.

It's the biggest product integration and promotion that Kia has done with Univision, Michael Sprague, Kia's executive vice president of marketing, told Marketing Daily. Hispanics now account for more than 9 percent of all Kia buyers in the U.S., and that number is growing. Kia's efforts to reach out to this market also include activations around high-profile soccer matches.Continue reading...

DC Comics has grown up. Now just one of the three publishing legs that make up the foundation of DC Entertainment, the comic-book publisher unleashed a new logo and brand identity this week, according to Fast Company.

The logo will start appearing on DC books in March as well as on its other publishing entities: Vertigo and Mad Magazine. The company also is involved with a slew of entertainment ventures, covering movies, TV shows, video games, DVDs, and merchandising.

“It wasn’t as obvious to the rest of the world as it was to the comic fans that Batman is from DC Comics or Sandman is a Vertigo character,” says John Rood, DC Entertainment’s executive vice president of sales, marketing, and business development, to Fast Company. “Now that our audience has exploded beyond just a readership, we needed a way of making a more consistent connection between our properties and their parent brands.”Continue reading...

Twitter fixed a security bug that disabled its website version today, and plans to step up promoted tweets (as only one-fifth of its 160 million registered users follow brands or companies).

Adobe misses earnings forecast on sluggish sales.

AIG nears sale of two units to Prudential.

BlackBerry-maker RIM could unveil its tablet (nickname: the BlackPad) as early as next week.

Clorox unloads its STP and Armor-All brands.

DC Entertainment's non-publishing business is moving to Los Angeles as part of Time Warner shake-up.

Disney former executive assistant pleads guilty to insider trading charges.

GlaxoSmithKline sues Roche, Genentech over cancer drug patent.Continue reading...