Acura is under fire for casting of Super Bowl commercial starring Jerry Seinfeld.

American Airlines parent AMR outlines non-union cutbacks.

California Pizza Kitchen plans new prototype and brand renewal.

Citigroup faces executive-pay dilemma after shareholder vote.

Dick Clark's career celebrated as entertainment legend dies at 82.

eBay continues comeback, citing PayPal.Continue reading...

The Super Bowl buzz window before Sunday's Big Game isn't closed yet! Among those bellying up with sneak peeks at their full SB46 commercials today include Century 21's official spot (above) with Donald Trump, Deion Sanders and Apolo Anton Ohno.

Pepsi also revealed its much-hyped ad starring Elton John and X Factor winner Melanie Amaro, who only wants some Pepsi — and uses her award-winning pipes to get some from a reluctant King John:Continue reading...

The Big Game doesn't kick off until Sunday, but brand marketers' "reveals" of their Super Bowl campaigns are intensifying this week.

Whether they're "teasing" their actual Super Bowl spots such as Century 21, or letting everything hang out there like Hyundai (which today released all five of its Game Day commercials, and a barrage of video extras) and Honda and others, there's a torrent of Game Day spots like never before.

Will there be anything actually new to watch once the Big Game comes on? Remember when the idea was to save the reveal for during the game and be the talk of the office water cooler on Monday morning?

Here's a look at some of the latest revelations:Continue reading...

Fun stuff: New Era baseball caps (which given its sport, doesn't need salary caps) taps a raft of celebs in its new campaign.

In the first spot, fellow NBC stars Alec Baldwin of 30 Rock and John Krasinski (The Office) trash-talk each other's beloved Yankees and Red Sox, in keeping with baseball's humorous marketing this season. Fans are invited to pick their fave of the rival teams on New Era's Facebook page.

Future spots will include Conan O'Brien, Ellen DeGeneres, Jerry Seinfeld, Tina Fey, Martin Scorsese and Justin Bieber.

The appearance by 11-year-old actress Bailee Madison on The Tonight Show last night was a virtuoso performance by a beguiling expert in product placement, someone able to make multiple brand mentions in seamless context and render them authentic because of her youth, innocence and charm. Or ... not.

In an interview with Jay Leno, the budding child actress and member of the ensemble cast of Just Go With It — where her scenes included the above one, set in a Pizza Hut — named a handful of brands that might have paid dearly for the privilege of being part of her narratives.Continue reading...

Banana Republic suffers losing year, Gap stands behind brand. [BNET]

Gap plans expansion into China. [FT]

Bank of America's departing chief Ken Lewis will forgo 2009 pay. [NY Times]

Goldman Sachs's success draws resentment, negative publicity. [NY Times]

USOC enforces "Olympic" trademark. [LA Times]

England calls on Becks to bolster 2018 Olympic bid. [Times of London]

Bloggers react to FTC product placement rules. [NY Times]

(More headlines: branded electric car sounds, Fox and NatGeo.)Continue reading...