In September, just a year and a half after the the British communications authority Ofcom allowed paid product placement in the nation's TV programs, the BBC 2 show The Great British Bake Off featured the logo of refrigerator brand Smeg dozens of times, sending viewers into a tizzy. As one complainant wrote, "The Smeg logo was so visible that I counted it 37 times before giving up." The BBC later admitted that rules were broken involving the Smeg placements.

The conversation involving the terms "British" and "product placement" is currently dominated by philosophical arguments concerning the upcoming James Bond film, Skyfall. But a new report from the UK's New Media Group (NME) brings more hard data and analystics to the topic. One of its findings: It's not just Smeg that's been testing the limits of the new rules.Continue reading...

Our most-read blog posts of the week include ake This Lollipop, Coca-Cola White Can Design, Tattooed Barbie, and more:

#1 Take This Lollipop Spooks Facebook Users

#2 Coca-Cola Can Goes White to Save the Polar Bear

#3 Tattooed Tokidoki Barbie Doll Raises Parents' Ire

#4 Paranormal Activity Risks Brand Promise with Trick Trailer

#5 The X Factor Goes Live to Lop Five as US Version Struggles

#6 Google's Android Branding Dilemma

#7 Heinz Gets Sophisticated, and Social

#8 Run, Alice, Run: Nike's New Commercial Brings "Never Stop Running" Motto to Life

#9 Occupy Wall Street Trademark Wars Begin

#10 Nikon's Ashton Kutcher Deal Sours

Abbott Labs plans to split into two companies.

American Express equalizes health costs for gay employees.

Citigroup agrees to pay hefty fine to settle securities charges.

Daimler dismissed US. head of Mercedes-Benz over personal expenses.

Eni makes big natural-gas find off coast of Mozambique.

Fox's The X Factor gets off to a slow start.

Frito-Lay draws complaint about "immersive" marketing to kids.

Groupon discounts its IPO valuation.Continue reading...

With the spring/summer 2012 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week shows getting rolling in New York, here's a viral video that's timely and trending on YouTube.

To promote the grand opening of Westfield Stratford, a behemoth of a retail shopping center in London, The Viral Factory created this promo to showcase "100 years of East London style in 100 seconds."

The video delivers just that - decades of fashion in a zippy 100 seconds that's a delight to watch. Check out the photos below for stills of each decade's fashion.Continue reading...