For the 1st time ever, MIPTV — taking place this week in Cannes — recognised an international consumer brand for "outstanding contribution to the development and production of brand-related content."

The winner, American Express, was chosen by an international committee made up of leading figures from the production and advertising sectors, including Doug Scott of Ogilvy Entertainment, Ben Silverman of Electus, film director Brett Ratner, and Robert Friedman of @radical.media.

MIPTV said the award recognizes "the growing impact of branded entertainment in the global television industry."

No talking gecko or cranky caveman — just a corporate video outlining Geico's 75 years in the business.

Fortune magazine's annual ranking of the world's most admired companies is also a shorthand for most admired brands.

Its just-released 14th annual ranking, a collaboration between the Time Inc.-owned business title with research conducted by the Hay Group, is worth checking out to see who's up, who's down, and why.

As ever, this year's list is based on a survey of business executives and the criteria includes quality of management, social responsibility (community and environment), quality of products and services, allocation of corporate resources, recruitment and retention of talent.

This year's top ten:Continue reading...

Forget gold stars — Levi’s is proud to be a green star by winning the #1 denim brand title in GoodGuide's first-ever sustainability rating system for apparel brands.

Levi Strauss taped the above chat with GoodGuide co-founder Dara O'Rourke and Michael Kobori, Levi’s VP of Social and Environmental Sustainability, to discuss the accolade — or eco-lade — and explain its social and environmental commitment.Continue reading...

In the spirit of its new spot above, Mercedes-Benz wants it to be known that while it may be 125, it's still young at heart. In honor of its 125th anniversary, Mercedes-Benz threw a party on Jan. 29 that was attended by German Chancellor, Dr. Angela Merkel.

A TV campaign highlights 125 years of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, while employees received a collective bonus of 125,000 euros. A print campaign headlined "Inventors of the automobile. Since 1886!" in select newspapers and magazines shows the Benz Patent motor car from 1886 and the present-day F 800 Style research vehicle.Continue reading...

The operators of Gas Station TV have been touting the effectiveness of their unusual medium for a few years now. They provide news updates, short-format programming and advertising at thousands of pumps in more than 100 of the biggest US markets through 13 of the nation’s leading gas retailers.

And now, PepsiCo has confirmed what “GSTV” has been saying. GSTV was named winner of the Best Retail Marketing Campaign of 2010 at the Pepsi Media Summit.Continue reading...

We've been deluged with end-of-the-year "best of lists," including best ad/marketing campaigns of 2010 and social media accolades. We particularly like how Ad Age meshes both in a list that highlights how social cause-related marketing came of age this year for brands, encompassing serious social campaigns, do-good initiatives, geo-location outreach, environmental awareness – and pure entertainment that even Grover wanted to copy.Continue reading...

Typically, a new vehicle must prove itself at least to some extent before it is bestowed with the highest honors in automotive journalism — car of the year awards. But Chevrolet’s Volt, in which a regular consumer has yet to log Mile One, already is scooping up such kudos based on its promise, and its technology, alone.

Two of the more prestigious nods have just gone to Volt: Motor Trend Car of the Year, and Automobile of the Year for Automobile magazine.Continue reading...