The need for jobs in a job-starved America can create some interesting political dynamics. Witness how New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo is going out of his way today to praise practically every other politician in the state for having anything to do with bringing new PepsiCo jobs in yogurt-making to upstate — and implicitly thumbling his nose at New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has put PepsiCo on the Most Wanted list with his proposed big-soda ban.

"This is a new New York State, partnering with the private sector to create jobs and grow new industries," Cuomo said in a PepsiCo press release today. He's been notably lauded even by some Republicans for making economic development (tagline: "New York - Open for Business") a priority of his administration, including a high-profile TV campaign promoting economic investments in New York State, with not only PepsiCo but Fage bringing their yogurt works to upstate New York.Continue reading...

The “I Love NY” advertising campaign in the mid-‘70s was one of the most memorable of all time and certainly ranks up there at the top as far as tourism promotions go. But it’s been more than three decades now and the logo (by ad legend Milt Glaser, who reinterpreted it for JetBlue), tagline and accompanying song are pretty well lodged into the collective cultural consciousness.

So whatcha gonna do? Change it up, natch. New York State has taken the heart (but not the love) out of the logo for its "Follow Your Heart" summer campaign and replaced it with user-submitted symbols and images of things to do around the state.

The goal is to have visitors not just think (or visit) the Big Apple — a smart move for a place branding campaign that is so often mistaken as an image campaign for New York City instead of New York State.Continue reading...

Dow surges 254 points, pulling nearly even for the year.

Forrester predicts Amazon could sell 3 to 5 million tablets in the fourth quarter of 2011.

American Airlines and others faulted for failing to respond to tweets of customers stranded by Hurricane Irene.

Patent dispute with Apple delays Samsung's Australian tablet launch.

Needing cash, Bank of America cuts investment in Chinese bank.

Facebook settles trademark suit with satiric site Lamebook.

Isis, $100 million joint venture by Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile for mobile phone payments, takes direct aim at Google.

New York's Gov. Cuomo launches "Open For Business" rebranding of the Empire State as business friendly; seeks proposals.

& Obama picks labor expert, Princeton's Alan B. Kreuger, as economics advisor.

Why don't we go back for a minute. Way back. Because everyone else is... including your favorite cereal, your hometown NFL team, and your elected government. But is it finally time to go back to the future?

For several years now design has been obsessed with paying homage to the past. From fashion, where Nike Dunks and Wayfarers rule, to breakfast cereal, where General Mills' Trix and Honey Nut Cheerios and Post's Grape-Nuts have received the time-machine treatment. Sports teams, with the NFL in the lead, have ramped up their promotion of throwback jerseys, creating a whole new market for the fan that has had everything.Continue reading...