Brands including Microsoft, Land Rover, BlackBerry, and Toshiba have paid big bucks to be the sponsors of the Rugby World Cup, which is currently underway in New Zealand. The country and organization made a very big deal this summer about how they are going to do everything possible to curtail any little inkling of ambush marketing in order to protect the corporations that were shelling out to be officially part of the fun.

Now the RWC is getting its first test and it’s not from any corporate giant that has creatively found a way to sneak its logo into RWC matches. It’s from a strip bar.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that one such establishment in Wellington, NZ, sent out “scantily clad women in stilettos and ‘All Blacks’ uniforms emblazoned with silver ferns” to hand out two-for-one flyers to match attendees in the wake of the first match the town hosted during the event: South Africa v. Wales on Sept. 11.Continue reading...

AARP rolls out new Betty White spots as organization ends opposition to cutting Social Security benefits.

Alibaba revamps consumer business.

BJ's Wholesale gets a serious bidder.

BP's former CEO Tony Hayward sees payday in new venture IPO.

Capital One to pay $9B for ING Direct, subject to regulatory approval.

Casey Anthony case dubbed "social media trial of the century."

Chrysler faces high expectations for 300.Continue reading...

Happy World Anti-Counterfeiting Day!

Celebrated each June 8th, this year's 13th annual event sees the launch of a global portal that aims to help consumers avoid knock-offs and "find safe and genuine online stockists of popular designer goods." That new website (launching with brands including adidas and UGG Australia): Brand-i.org, which enables consumers to distinguish between genuine sellers of big brands and rogue traders of counterfeit goods. 

Naturally, luxury brands are alarmed at the rise of counterfeits on a global scale, vigorously defending their brands by taking legal action. While customs and law enforcement officials around the world attempt to squash purveyors of fake name brand luxury goods, academic research on counterfeits increasingly supports a counterintuitive position: these phony goods may actually be good for business.Continue reading...

From Bolivia comes the fascinating branding tale of Coca-Colla. That's right: it's called "Coca-Colla." It's also being called trademark infringement, and "a socialist-tinged affront to western imperialism." It's even being called, jokingly, "the real thing" owing to its use of real coca leaf. What it shouldn't be called is a threat to Coca-Cola. Paradoxically, Coca-Colla's existence only serves to strengthen the brand it imitates (and maybe mocks). Whether Coca-Cola's lawyers see the humor in the parody reamins to be seen.

Coca-Colla is the publicity stunt of Bolivian President Evo Morales and the country's Ministry of Coca and Integral Development. In an effort to manufacture support for, or at least the perception of support for, the nation's coca growers, and solidify the leadership's residence of "Coca-Colanization," Bolivia's government concocted a beverage made from real coca extract. Acting with true capitalist public relations mastery, the socialist-leaning administration named the drink Coca-Colla, owing to the nation's "Colla" people.

Here's why it's a total win-win.Continue reading...

Nothing is better than a credit card – it’s easy to use, you don’t have to carry around cash, and you can pay off the bill later in the month when you’re still broke. As easy as it may be, it’s going to start costing customers a lot more.

Over the past five years, the annual percentage rate (APR) has been increasing at an alarming rate. The average APR now stands at 13.5 percent, whereas just one year ago, it sat at a comparatively light 11.8 percent. That’s small potatoes though. If you think it will drop back down anytime soon, you’re dead wrong.Continue reading...

China, a country known for counterfeiting, has graduated to imitating the Internet.

When Google threatened and then left China after tensions rose over censorship and hacking issues, the still-Communist nation took matters into its own hands with Goojje.com. YouTube, the Google-owned video site also blocked in China, was recreated as YouTubecn.com.

Google, known for taking a passive stance, had little to say about its unofficial brand extension. "The only comment I can give you right now is just to confirm that we’re not affiliated," responded Jessica Powell, a spokeswoman for the site.Continue reading...

Oh, those Bratz!

Barbie’s slutty brethren were granted a reprieve yesterday by the US Court of Appeals and will remain on store shelves in 2010.

MGA Entertainment, maker of the Bratz dolls, lost a 2008 court case ordering the company to stop selling the dolls and hand over the copyright to Mattel. The decision also awarded $100 million to Mattel.

Mattel filed the original suit, claiming that the Bratz dolls were created by designer Carter Bryant while he was still under Mattel’s employ.Continue reading...

For years, luxury brands and hot-selling products have faced a chronic problem unrelated to the economy: counterfeits. But in today's money-tight market, cheap fakes of such brands as Chanel, Gucci, Rolex, and Tiffany are more popular than ever.

That's why the city of New York is taking swift action during this holiday season. In the last two days, New York police have raided locations in Manhattan's Chinatown, an area in which counterfeit brands are as common as city traffic lights. The raids came about through a special crime unit that has been making uncover purchases of counterfeit goods, and the operation has already resulted in the seizure of $1 million worth of fake bags and watches.Continue reading...