Film director Brett Ratner is doing his part to blur the line between commercialism and cinematography.

"Filmmakers should align themselves with brands," says Ratner, 40. "They can help each other."

Ratner recently collaborated with Kerzner International, a global casino chain and owner of the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

CEO Sol Kerzner wanted to rejuvenate his brand and thought the director, known for his Guitar Hero commercials and blockbuster movies, could help.Continue reading...

At one time, it was claimed, "If they're not Dockers, they're just pants." But now it is Dockers that are "just pants" -- and the brand intends to do something about it.

This week, Dockers is launching a rebranding campaign built around the brand's new tagline, "Wear the pants." The tone will embrace the now-common "be a man" approach used by many other brands in the men's sector (Mitchum, Wrangler) -- ironic, considering Dockers' past slogan.

In fact, Dockers' branding efforts two decades ago, with uber-yuppie ads like the one above, were so successful that the brand remains defined by that era. The president of Dockers told the New York Times, "I don’t think that we, as leaders of the category, have done much to keep the khaki category fresh and exciting..." And that couldn't be more true. But many brands have done plenty to keep the category fresh, and stole Dockers' business.Continue reading...