Comedy Central partners with Urban Outfitters on Indecision 2012 collection.

7-11, Walmart, Target and other big retailers team up on mobile wallet to combat Google Wallet.

Apple reportedly in talks with U.S. cable operators to develop a set-top box; and takes a swing at Amazon.

Johnson & Johnson launches ingredient transparency website for baby and beauty products as J&J removes formaldehyde from products.

Bumbo foam child seats recalled following injuries.

Calvin Klein sued by Lululemon for alleged patent infringement.

Chick-fil-A uproar may have inspired gunman.Continue reading...

"To the gay community, I apologize," stated boxer Manny Pacquiao in an interview with Mario Lopez on Extra that aired today. "I'm against same-sex marriage, but I'm not condemning you. My favorite verse is 'Love one another as you love yourself. Love your neighbor.' So I love everybody!"

That's Pacquiao, a national icon in the Philippines and one of Hennessy’s “Wild Rabbit” campaign stars, extricating himself from the hot water he landed in this week, just as he strives to change his image from indulging in cockfighting, drinking and womanizing. (His Hennessy commercial’s tagline: ''Fighting the fights that really matter. That's my 'Wild Rabbit.'")

The controversy erupted after a profile on him published May 12th in the National Conservative Examiner referenced the oft-cited Biblical passage from Leviticus 20:13, "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death.”

Pacquiao subsequently clarified that readers had erroneously believed he had quoted the verse, and that he loves and supports gays and lesbians, denounces anti-gay allegations, but does not approve of gay marriage because of his Roman Catholic beliefs.Continue reading...

It's getting to the point where one might consider LVMH the European Union of brands.

The French conglomerate, which legitimately calls itself a "world leader in luxury goods," owns 60 upper echelon brands, many of which have the kind of global cachet most brands can only dream about. These brands accounted last year for more than 20 billion euros in sales and 3 billion euros in profit.

The LVMH stable includes Dom Perignon, Krug and Hennessy in wine and spirits; TAG Heuer and DeBeers in watches and jewelry; Celine, Givenchy and Louis Vuitton in fashion; Christian Dior, Emilio Pucci and Fendi in perfumes and cosmetics; and beauty products purveyor Sephora in specialty retailing.

Add the one billion-euro Italian luxury jewelry brand, Bulgari to the list, acquired this week by LVMH.Continue reading...

Since 2007, the beginning of each new year has brought a new X.O limited edition cognac from Hennessy, featuring a unique blend and a designer bottle. This year’s release, called Odyssey X.O, may just be one of the most overdesigned bottles of booze we’ve seen in some time.

Hennessy’s designs aren’t exactly minimalist to begin with, and the higher end they go, the more ornate they get. The X.O bottle is a heavy, curvaceous cornucopia covered with grapevines.

For the Odyssey X.O, multi-disciplinary artist Arik Levy (best known for his furniture design) has stuck the X.O bottle – in shades of silver, rose and gold – on top of what appears to be a piece of silver kryptonite. You can see what we mean at right.

Levy has referred to this year's X.O. limited edition design as an “uncontrolled muscle.” We think someone perhaps should have tried to control his muscles before he got his hands on the Hennessy bottle.

Hennessy also launched Hennessy V.S.O.P Helios at Dubai Duty Free in December. It’s the first of the “Privilège Collection by Hennessy,” which will release an exclusive new bottle each year. 

The V.S.O.P Helios bottle has been varnished in a layer of silver, colored to resemble pink gold, and in case you didn’t catch the reference to the sun, the box in which the bottle is packaged features rays that look like they are coming out of the bottle.

While this pink, blinged-out special edition isn’t as hideous as the Odyssey X.O., subtlety is certainly not one of its charms.

Regardless of the bottle designs, since these are Hennessy and they are limited editions, expect them to get snapped up. At least that will get them out of public view.

Forget that the artist's name is "Playboy Tre," the new video for the song Ready Go takes the trend of alcohol product placement in music videos by the throat and throttles it to death (above). Warning, NSFW language.

Move over Four Loko anthem, "Ready Go" is drunk on brands.Continue reading...

Ford and GM posted stronger sales in May, as Ford confirms rumors that it's ending its Mercury brand.

Investors bet on BP rebound as US Gulf coast cities use digital billboards to lure tourists back to the beach.

Viacom veteran turned digital exec Herb Scannell is now running the BBC's US brands, including BBC America.

Amazon's Kindle e-reader will be available in US Target stores starting Sunday.Continue reading...