American Express fourth quarter profit leaps 49%.

GlaxoSmithKline pulls Levitra advertising to "improve image."

Google and Mozilla launch privacy features.

GroundReport founder Rachel Sterne named NYC's first chief digital officer.

MSNBC's relationship with Keith Olbermann was tense for years, reports the NYT.

Oprah Winfrey reveals on-air she has a half-sister.

Papa John's stunt offers free pizzas if Super Bowl goes into overtime.

Throughout the recession, the luxury fashion market took a major hit and luxury brands were happy to hold their own as existing luxury consumers backed off of extravagant spending. Interesting new data released by American Express Business Insights (AEBI) at a recent trade show sponsored by the National Retail Federation (NRF), prior to the recession, indicates the "active luxury spender" (most likely a Baby Boomer) was responsible for 68% of all luxury spending. When the recession hit, 25% of these consumers stopped spending.

Those defined as "occasional luxury shoppers" accounted for about 20% of the luxury spending, while "aspirational luxury shoppers" were responsible for 12% of luxury spending. However, it was the aspirational luxury shopper group that actually dominated the luxury shopper category — they were 70% of the total universe of luxury spenders — so their hesitancy to buy impacted luxury brands significantly.

Thankfully, during the current recovery, luxury fashion spending in the U.S. is not only rebounding, it is actually stronger than mainstream spending, says AEBI SVP Edmond Jay. Emerging from the recessionary shambles is a brand new demographic that AEBI calls the "Luxury Newcomer" — a web-savvy, discerning fashionista who knows her way around sites such as Gilt.com and relishes a good discount and interactive shopping experience.Continue reading...

AT&T promotes its 4G network with a commercial that rewinds a football player's life back to the moment his dad first bought him tickets to a game, purchased (of course) with his AT&T phone.

Watch more new spots — from Audi, Coca-Cola, TurboTax, Intel and other brands — after the jump.Continue reading...

Gwen Stefani for HP, Michael Jordan for Hanes, Dr. Dre for HP, Peyton Manning for Sony, Lady Gaga for Polarioid, Lance Armstong for Radio Shack, Michael Vick for… ArTran?

A new study confirms what a lot of people on both ends of the advertising paradigm suspect: celebrity endorsements aren't worth it. My colleague Sheila Shayon earlier pondered this question — find out why the evidence is swinging in favor of taking back the swag bags and shutting down the gravy train.Continue reading...

• LA Weekly's tweet, above: Great SEO joke? Or the greatest SEO joke?

• Chatroulette's new funding model: "50,000 Naked Men."

• Now even online magazines are folding. Salon closes woman-focused blog Broadsheet.

• Art Director timeout: The ten most iconic photos in American history.Continue reading...

As Glee prepares for its Super Bowl extravaganza on FOX, Emmy-award winning actress Jane Lynch, better known these days as Sue Sylvester on the hit series, is in demand as a celebrity spokesperson.

LG Electronics' text education campaign (announced at last year's CES) leverages Sylvester's tough love persona and plays on her guilt as a real-life texter while driving, as she tells AP above. She's also been appearing as Sylvester in ads for American Express, helping promote AmEx's Members Project tie-in with Glee.Continue reading...

Apple attacked by Calpers for the way it handles board elections.

Amazon tops charts of online retailers in UK for customer satisfaction.

American Express returns to the NBA.

Bank of America confirmed as WikiLeaks target, as banks deal with bad press over alleged foreclosure break-ins.

CarMax profits rise on stronger wholesale auto sales.

Dollar Tree and other dollar chains shine this holiday season.Continue reading...

American Express helps New York's Ellis Island.

Bing adds features, reports 90 million users and edges Google and Yahoo for November.

BP sued with eight other firms over Gulf oil spill by US justice department, flagged in new WikiLeaks cable.

Coke Zero taps Ogilvy for global creative work.

E! and sibling Comcast cable networks vote to join Writers Guild.Continue reading...