Hostess brands reportedly attract bids from Walmart and Kroger.

LinkedIn gains job-recruiting edge over Monster, reveals most-liked brands of 2012.

Nissan begins turning out Leaf batteries at new U.S. plant.

Apple dominates tablet-purchase intent, survey says, but loses patent case to licensing firm.

Build-A-Bear considers change at top.

Fox News leads cable segment while CNN dips.

GM revamps MyLink system.

Jaguar drops plan to build supercar.Continue reading...

Diageo already produces a veritable Amazon of alcoholic brands – Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Bailey's, and Guinness to name a few — but the drinks giant is still not satisfied.

Reuters reports that the world’s largest spirits maker was in talks to purchase the world’s best-selling tequila maker, Jose Cuervo, but those talks have concluded without an agreement. Don’t think Diageo is done, though. The pullout “fuelled speculation that” Diageo will now go after buying up Beam Inc., which produces the world’s second-best-selling tequila, Sauza, and of course its iconic Jim Beam brand in addition to Maker's Mark and Knob Creek bourbons.Continue reading...

China is the second latest economy in the world, every significant brand's future is impacted by its growth (or collapse!); but who's got the time?!  A weekly potpourri of ten reads that will make you look like a keen China observer during any conversation about China.

This week,  Alibaba, Taobao, car sales, wealth distribution, iPhone 5 struggles, luxury purchasing data, Hollywood, Johnnie Walker, trademarks, milkmen fail up and more...Continue reading...

Apple iPhone 5 launch today could reheat European carriers' price war, as other tech companies weigh the implications.

Acer to introduce smartphone using operating system by Alibaba.

Amazon cuts shipping times by building more warehouses.

Chesapeake Energy sells $6.9 billion in assets.

Digital Domain, Hollywood's hologram maker, files for bankruptcy.

Dish Network returns Glenn Beck to US TV.

Ford seems likely to pick North American chief Mark Fields to succeed CEO Alan Mulally.Continue reading...

BP sells Gulf of Mexico oil fields for $5.5 billion to help pay for spill settlement while Petrobras seeks partner for development of its Gulf sites.

HP expands workforce reduction to 29,000 positions.

AIG will see U.S. slash its stake to become minority shareholder with $18 billion sell-off.

Apple cuts reliance on Samsung for iPhone chips as iPhone 5 mania and rumor mill heat up.

Audi threatens BMW's seven-year luxury auto crown.

Google charges retailers in growing competition with Amazon, as Google Fiber launch site takes off and Google Glasses hit the runway at New York Fashion Week.

NBC faces Paralympic TV deal scrutiny while the UK celebrates the end of the summer of the Olympics with London 2012 parade.Continue reading...

For the return of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Mountain Dew this week broke the new commercial, above. Directed by McG of Charlie's Angels big screen fame, it was created by BBDO NY with Activision and the former military advisors who consult on Call of Duty, with sound design by Music and Strategy. (Watch behind-the-scenes footage here).

Below, watch another audiocentric spot — HTC's new spot for Rezound, its smartphone with Beats Audio by Dr. Dre — and more.Continue reading...

No matter what you do or where you turn, there is no way to escape it: Gift-buying season will very soon be upon us and Neiman Marcus hopes you’ve saved some bucks and are ready to spend. 

Actually, forget that. If you need to save some bucks, you likely don’t have enough to afford what’s in the brand-spanking-new annual Neiman Marcus Christmas Book.

If you aren’t lucky enough to get the catalog at home or live close enough to one of the company’s 41 stores, you can enjoy all of its splendors on the 104-year-old company’s website, Facebook page, or iPad app. (There are also video teasers on the luxury retailer's YouTube channel.)

As ever, this year’s catalog — the 85th edition — features a number of over the top “fantasy” gifts.

For a mere $1 million, consumers can purchase His and Hers Dancing Fountains, by hydro designer WET, which created the fountains at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas as well as the world’s largest fountain in, you guessed it, Dubai.Continue reading...

Apple seeks Qualcomm patent documents to shore up Samsung legal defense, as Apple sets date for employee celebration of Steve Jobs' life.

BMW expands luxury-car sales lead globally.

Cinemark chain threatens not to show Tower Heist over Universal's video-on-demand window.

Cosi battle with shareholder escalates.

Diageo nods to Brazil's growing might with new Johnnie Walker campaign.

Dollar Thrifty takes itself off the market.

General Mills says its can cut only so much sugar out of cereals.Continue reading...