Miller Lite is turning to an old page in its playbook, with a new gang of celebrities designed to boost the flagging brew in a fresh slate of TV commercials served up on another iconic platter for the franchise, "Miller Time." The new go-to guys for Miller Lite include Vince Vaughn, Ken Jeong, Chuck Liddell and Questlove.

But interestingly, Miller brand managers say that their new campaign (watch below) will not seek to trade too heavily on the appeal or persona of any one of its new stable of celebrity pitch people. One ad wonders what it would be like to hang out with actor Jeong, who will star in the upcoming Hangover Part III—but he's self-deprecating in the spot.

"Celebrity is not our strategy," Con Williamson, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, the agency behind the campaign, told Ad Age. "Our strategy is solely focused on Miller Time." That, of course, will leave Miller strategically opposed to the growing number of tight tie-ups between beverage brands and individual celebrities, including Justin Timberlake and Bud Light Platinum, Taylor Swift and Diet Coke, and Beyonce and Pepsi.Continue reading...

Miller Lite is turning to an old page in its playbook, with a new gang of celebrities designed to boost the flagging brew in a fresh slate of TV ads served up on another iconic platter for the franchise, "Miller Time." The new go-to guys for Miller Lite include Vince Vaughn, Ken Jeong, Chuck Liddell and Questlove.

But interestingly, Miller brand managers say that their new campaign will not seek to trade too heavily on the appeal or persona of any one of its new stable of celebrity pitch people. One ad wonders what it would be like to hang out with actor Jeong, who will star in the upcoming Hangover Part III—but he's self-deprecating in the spot.

"Celebrity is not our strategy," Con Williamson, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, told Advertising Age. "Our strategy is solely focused on Miller Time." That, of course, will leave Miller strategically opposed to the growing number of tight tie-ups between beverage brands and individual celebrities, including Justin Timberlake and Bud Light Platinum, Taylor Swift and Diet Coke, and Beyonce and Pepsi.Continue reading...

With its newest campaign, "The Ex," Citi is extolling its Private Pass cardmember perks program by tapping into the buzz around the MTV Video Music Awards this week.

Debuting the first national campaign for the program during Thursday night's VMAs telecast, the goal is to associate Citi-enabled insider access with acquired cool by rubbing shoulders with more celebrities than ever before: the intimacy of attending exclusive events, such as a foodie event with chefs Giada DiLaurentiis and Daniel Boulud, or a private concert for Citi customers by VMAs performer Alicia Keys, the opportunity to play basketball with Dwyane Wade and John Calipari, or a Sunday football viewing party with John Madden.

It's also hoping, of course, to distinguish its member perks program from what American Express offers.Continue reading...

After China's fake Apple stores debacle, Apple moves to open real Apple store in prestigious Peking University library. (Not so fast, say officials.) And scoring two knock-offs in one, Chinese consumers are now being tempted with fake Converse sneakers bearing Apple's logo. They sell for about $5; click here for the fall lineup.

Below, check out legit branded kicks exclusively for the China market — Angry Birds sneakers! — and more.Continue reading...

When you contemplate the generous — some would say scandalous — tax breaks enjoyed by large companies, the benefiting brands you probably recall are multinational conglomerates like GE or “too big to fail” financial firms like Goldman Sachs.

But in addition to the kinds of brands that keep PR armies constantly marching in defense of their reputations, one sector that’s enjoyed extraordinary joy every April 15, according to the New York Times, is the gaming industry.

The Times focuses on Electronic Arts, which over the last five years paid $98 million in taxes – which sounds like a painful tax bill until you compute that if EA paid the full official US corporate tax rate of 35 percent, it would have shelled out $420 million on its $1.2 billion in profits.

Conspiracy theorists could claim that IRS agents are huge fans of EA’s Madden football game franchise, but the reality is that the company can take advantage of its three-headed brand identity: it’s a software-development brand, an entertainment brand, and an online retailing brand.Continue reading...

• American Idol's former owner, Robert F.X. Sillerman, wants it back.

• Apple is renaming Apple TV to iTV (adding apps, losing 1080 HD video playback) and patches "gaping" security hole.

• BBC's iconic Top Gear faces a tough audience when an American version launches on the History Channel this fall.

• Cisco profit soars 79%, but revenue falls short of Wall Street expectations.

• GM may file its IPO by Friday, says the New York Times.

• JetBlue listens, finally addresses Steven Slater incident with a blog post.

• John Madden is still big in video games, but misses TV.

• NHL franchise lets fans name their own ticket prices.

• Old Spice actor Isaiah Mustafa lands two movie roles.Continue reading...