AMC tries to enlist consumers in standoff with Dish Network.

Amazon expands use of delivery lockers and expands into social gaming.

American Airlines faces record $162 million in penalties.

Apple plans to pull YouTube app from iPhone and iPad in growing rift with Google as it grills the head of strategy for Samsung in court.

Best Buy founder moves on estranged company.

Chuck E. Cheese starts new campaign aimed at moms.

Coca-Cola deals with kick-out threats from Bolivia.Continue reading...

Hanes underwear has been serving the public’s undergarment needs since 1901 so it’s been through a few changes over the years. This company has rode through strong economies and plenty of tough ones. Tough is one way to define the company’s first quarter, during which it lost $26.8 million and revenue went down 3 percent.

Now Hanes is about to adapt again and make a number of changes. For one, HanesBrands is pulling out of Europe altogether, thanks to the economic instability and Eurozone crisis. It’s also getting out of the private-label biz in America. Not only that, any men who wear Hanes won’t have to deal with those itchy tags anymore. The North Carolina-based company is going entirely tagless. Who said you couldn’t make a good pair of underwear better?Continue reading...

Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden may be a rising star, but he has a long way to go to take on the king, by which we mean Michael Jordan.

MJ hasn’t played professional basketball since 2003 and hasn’t won a championship since 1998, yet he has one of the strongest, shiniest brands of any celebrity out there.

Forbes estimates “that Jordan earned $60 million over the past year mainly through his endorsement deals with Nike, Gatorade, Hanes, Upper Deck, 2K Sports and Five Star Fragrances.” Of course, he also has five restaurants and a car dealership of his own in North Carolina. Plus, he’s got a day job as the majority owner of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats.

During Jordan’s playing days he was earning $50 million annually at his peak from sponsorships. While many of his sponsors have been with him for some time, Forbes notes that 2K signed him last year to be on the cover of NBA 2K11, which went on to sell five million panels  and become the best-selling NBA video game in history.

Jordan's deal with Nike started when he graduated from college in 1984. The five-year deal, worth $2.5 million, must have felt like big bucks to him then. The Jordan brand now pulls in more than $1 billion annually, “with MJ getting a piece of the action,” the site notes. “The Jordan Brand’s market share of the U.S. basketball shoe market is 71% according to SportsOneSource,” Forbes reports.Continue reading...

Buddy Media, the WPP-backed Facebook management system, is taking on Europe and opening a headquarters in London. A $54 million raise (Series D funding) is fueling a seemingly indefatigable global expansion as the company continues to dominate the social media enterprise software space.

A new group of late-stage investors, including Insight Venture Partners, joined current Buddy Media investors GGV Capital, Institutional Venture Partners and Bay Partners.

Buddy Media serves eight of the world’s top ten global advertisers including Nivea, Bacardi, All Saints, Vodafone and Mercedes Benz. In 2011, the company added 165-plus new customers, including Kraft Foods, Hanes, ESPN, Ford Motor Company and Virgin Mobile USA.Continue reading...

Albertsons decides to keep self-checkout lanes.

Amazon seeks ballot measure to undo California tax.

Arm & Hammer woos cat-lovers.

BlackBerry owner RIM announces seven new smartphones, courts carriers feeling threatened by Apple and Google.

BMW cranks up its profit forecast.

Campbell takes new course as new CEO outlines strategy.

Carrefour sees its acquisition deal in Brazil fizzle.Continue reading...

Last week we saw GoodGuide come out with sustainability grades and give Levi Strauss an A for do-gooder denim moves.

Today sees the formal launch of an industry-based Sustainable Apparel Coalition, an almost unimaginable collection of commercial companies (including Levi Strauss) and brands, governmental agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The group is out to change the world by developing a set of common metrics and standards.

They may not have the flashiest logo, but they have bigger aims: namely, to develop "a comprehensive database of the environmental impact of every manufacturer, component and process in apparel production, with the aim of using that information to eventually give every garment a sustainability score," according to the New York Times.Continue reading...

Gwen Stefani for HP, Michael Jordan for Hanes, Dr. Dre for HP, Peyton Manning for Sony, Lady Gaga for Polarioid, Lance Armstong for Radio Shack, Michael Vick for… ArTran?

A new study confirms what a lot of people on both ends of the advertising paradigm suspect: celebrity endorsements aren't worth it. My colleague Sheila Shayon earlier pondered this question — find out why the evidence is swinging in favor of taking back the swag bags and shutting down the gravy train.Continue reading...

Charles Barkley has many fans who all love him: the NBA, TNT, and especially, Taco Bell.

His self-deprecating portrayal as Sir Charles, his questionable rapping skills and genuine affability make him accessible to everyday consumers. The NBA Hall of Famer and NBA studio analyst for TNT is ‘spokesperson gold’ and has helped Taco Bell grow its brand quickly.

Certain celebrity endorsements have the Midas touch and Barkley is a sterling example, despite a checkered past including gambling issues and a DUI conviction. His over-the-top persona has made Barkley a magnet for brands — compared, say, with NBA legend (and Hanes spokesman) Michael Jordan.Continue reading...