UK antitrust regulators oppose Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger. [NY Times]

Alcoa reports first profit in 9 months, lifts Asian and European markets. [NY Times]

With no new cars to promote until mid-2010, new Ford ads (aimed at policymakers) tout innovation. [LA Times]

As Versace abandons market, analysts signal the end of luxury in Japan. [Times of London]

Hermes thrives in a "booming" Chinese market; US market is "slightly positive." [Bloomberg]

Kraft renames iSnack2.0 Vegemite "Cheesybite" after complaints. [Bloomberg]

Music industry relies on brand partnerships to finance marketing campaigns. [Bloomberg]

(More headlines: Starbucks sues Dunkin' exec; Wendy's, Estee Lauder campaigns.)Continue reading...

There's nothing like a good recession to make an e-commerce opportunist smile.

In today’s brutal economy, resourceful companies can skip building a name from scratch and just buy one. Linens 'N Things has become an experiment in rebranding a bricks-and-mortar store as an Internet-only presence. Gordon Brothers-Hilco have taken over the very publicly bankrupted home-and-bath business, its established brand and – not a minor thing – its database of five million e-mail addresses. Continue reading...