Maria Shriver (who recently hinted she's in transition) and Arnold Schwarzenegger prepare to divorce as he announces movie comeback and their son Patrick responds on Twitter.

Bristol Palin lands reality show on History Channel's BIO cable channel.

Facebook asks to be exempt from US political advertising rules.

Audi launches roadside assistance app.

Australian advertisers face opposition on self-regulation and children's marketing.

BMW launches eBay store in the UK.Continue reading...

The march of brands into China continues apace: Facebook is pursuing its billion-user dream by courting Baidu, luxury brands such as Marni and Armani are not only opening stores but e-commerce sites, and InterContinental is developing a hotel brand specifically for China.

Among the most closely-watched China entrants: Groupon, which is bouncing back from its Super Bowl fumble in the US to banking on a bright and shiny future with China.Continue reading...

Apple's new app store subscription policy gets pushback from Rhapsody.

Bauer and Conde Nast seek new UK revenue opportunities.

Bernie Madoff's first prison interview claims banks "must have known."

Borders files for bankruptcy.

Coca-Cola disputes NPR's secret recipe claim.

Costco squabbles with Coca-Cola over pricing.Continue reading...

It seems as if hotels have figured out at least one way to work around a challenging travel market -- create distinct brands that offer something different.

A North American hotel customer satisfaction report just released by J.D. Power and Associates shows that, over the past year, travelers are happier when they stay in newer boutique hotels as opposed to traditional branded hotels.Continue reading...

Hotel groups are putting the power of branding to work, both to differentiate one hotel brand from another, and to distinguish each brand so that it has its own special, unique appeal.

No one knows that better than CEO Andrew Cosslett of InterContinental Hotels Group, owner of such leading hotel brands as InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, and Hotel Indigo.

Cosslett says hotels recovering from the weakened worldwide economy now need to rely on "brand strength."Continue reading...

Revamped Sesame Street counts highest ratings in years.

BP-owned Alaska pipeline closes post-spill (and Obama criticism of Gulf mess, though Brits are forgiving) as BP attempts "top kill" today.

Facebook today announces privacy rollback. Watch this space.

Unilever's €1.28 bln purchase of Sara Lee unit delayed on antitrust concerns.

P&G CEO Bob McDonald discusses "billion new customers in five years" plan.Continue reading...

As the global economy recovers, hotel chains continue to look for creative ways to stand out. It isn't enough to provide a comfortable bed in a clean room nowadays. Hotels need to appeal to a traveler's lifestyle and offer something unique that makes a stay memorable, whether the individual is traveling for business or pleasure.

That's why Jumeirah Group, a luxury hotel chain based in Dubai, is launching a new hotel brand called VENU Hotels later this year. In announcing the brand extension, Jumeirah calls VENU Hotels a "contemporary lifestyle five-star hotel brand" that will express "the local soul for those who seek a sophisticated immersion in the destination."

In recent years, hotels chains have trended towards lifestyle brands.Continue reading...

In the latest case of brand enforcement, U.K.-based InterContinental Hotels Group, owner of the Holiday Inn brand, has told its franchisees if they don't "contemporize" by the end of 2010, they will lose the right to use the brand name.

InterContinental started a program to refurbish all Holiday Inns in 2007 in a move to update the hotel brand and make it more contemporary (read that as competitive).

The program included a mandate to meet the company's "minimum quality specifications" by the end of 2010, including better exterior lighting, redecorated lobbies, new bedding, and new signs with the updated Holiday Inn logo. Franchisees are expected to pay for the overhaul – at a cost of $150,000 to $250,000 for each hotel.Continue reading...