Apple seeks to create web radio Pandora rival as TV talks bog down with content companies.

Beyonce-backed House of Dereon fashion label sags.

Bobbi Brown Cosmetics reveals Katie Holmes campaign.

Cablevision refreshes Optimum brand.

Elizabeth Arden launches Nicki Minaj's perfume debut, Pink Friday.

Emporio Armani becomes first brand to partner with Spotify.

Fashion's Night Out brings out global fashionistas.

Ford expands offerings for Europe.

Grand Marnier launches experiential rooftop bubble bar in London.

IHOP partners with PepsiCo's Quaker Oats brand.Continue reading...

Sharpie loves fan input, evidenced by last year’s takeover of YouTube’s home page with user-generated art in an interactive mosaic ad that generated more than 62 million impressions in one day.

This year, Sharpie is inviting fans to create artwork for a music video for indie-pop band, California Wives, making their debut at the MTV Video Music Awards in September, in a campaign from Draftfcb Chicago.

Now through August 6th, submissions are open via the brand’s Facebook page and website. “What we’re really about is putting fans at the center of our story,” Ryan Rouse, global director of marketing for Sharpie, tells Marketing Daily. “It’s not about ambushing an audience with an ad; it’s about taking the passion within our community and amplifying that.” Continue reading...

Adbusters' role in branding Occupy movement examined in New York Times as Occupy LA protesters dig in heels.

Amazon eyes China growth.

Apple critiqued for not getting social media (but does it matter to brand loyalists?) as digi-savvy toddlers' parents fuel iPad sales.

Black Friday sales boost LG and Samsung as e-tailers are poised for Cyber Monday lift.

BSkyB's James Murdoch loses investors' confidence.

China's Chery automaker launches Qoros brand as Subaru joint venture gains lifeline.

Coach, expanding in China, will list shares on  Hong Kong's Hang Seng stock exchange.

Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Nestle and Mars sign European pledge to only promote nutritious products on their websites.

Disney releases mobile app for Spider-Man, as the Marvel-owned web-slinger finds his feet on Broadway.Continue reading...

Our most-read blog posts of the past week include Kellogg Suing Over Toucan Sam, Miracle Whip, Chevy, and more:

#1 Kraft’s Miracle Whip Campaign Under Fire From Anti-Divorce Activists

#2 America's Most Popular Brands: The Bloomberg Businessweek List

#3 Kellogg Suing Nonprofit Over Toucan Logo

#4 Chevy Wants to Be Like Apple -- and Now Disney Too

#5 Sharpie YouTube Takeover Expands Brilliant Customized Strategy

#6 Kraft Seeks Emotional Triggers to Purchase

#7 Flash Mob Trend Spawns A New Social Media Industry

#8 At the Movies: Spy Kids 4D Uses Unique Marketing Stunt: Smellketing? Prodormotion?

#9 Social Media, Online Travel’s Shangri-La

#10 MGM Blowing Up Brand New Vegas Hotel?

On Saturday, Aug. 27, Sharpie will takeover YouTube's homepage. The marker maker is currently calling for submissions of "drawings, doodles, poems, pics, ANYTHING started with Sharpie!" The gallery is filling up, too.

Shapie was clearly paying attention to all of the noise about how "customization" is the new brand development and consumer targeting keyword. Where the brand was focused on celebrity endorsements with David Beckham three years ago, Sharpie is now putting its brand in the hands of its best spokespeople, its fans.Continue reading...

Aetna rises despite drop in demand for medical care.

Boeing beats estimates, boosts outlook.

Borders woes parsed in post-mortems.

Delta Airlines cuts capacity on rising fuel costs.

Disney and Marvel team for Captain America game, while Disney looks to shore up Bollywood business with UTV ownership.

Dow Chemical quarterly profit up 74%.

Dunkin' Brands CEO says IPO a byproduct of "unbelievable buzz."Continue reading...

Airbus and Boeing compete for major deal from AMR.

Albertsons ends self-checkouts.

Apple loses “app store” battle with Amazon, picks new target.

Arby’s launches “casting call” contest.

Audi to build cars in North America, reports record first-half global sales.

Campbell Soup needs immediate help from new CEO.

Citigroup leverages digital to engage Asian consumers.Continue reading...

“Send us your trash – we’ll make it into cool products.” That's the simple premise and promise aof New Jersey-based startup TerraCycle, a green recycler founded by two former Princeton University classmates who dreamed up the idea in 2001 for a business plan contest.

Now full-time "eco-capitalists," they're making good business from trash by partnering with brands to create recycling campaigns for their products, and a halo effect for their affiliates.

Instead of used packaging clogging up landfills, they encourage organizations such as schools (at no cost) to send them, for example, used Capri Sun juice packets (above) so they can turn them into products such as bags and backpacks.Continue reading...