The iPad is only about three years old but its success is so massive that if it were its own business, it would be No. 98 on the Fortune 500, higher than McDonald’s, which pulled in $27 billion last year, and Nike, which grabbed $20.9 billion).

The iPad made up 60% of the tablet market last year and snagged $32 billion, Fortune reports. Bernstein research analyst Toni Sacconaghi claims that iPad would be the 11th largest tech company in the U.S. if it were its own company separate from Apple.

The iPhone 5 is also ringing up sales, even though Consumer Reports doesn’t give it stellar scores in its new issue. In fact, CR calls iPhone 5 “the worst of the top smartphones.” It's in the bottom of the top three for both AT&T and Sprint and isn’t even listed in the top three for Verizon.

Apple needs iPhone to keep growing, but more bad reviews could hurt the brand over the long-term if similar problems pop up in the next version and Samsung’s Galaxy S III continues to be such a strong product. Discounting is also hurting the image of the iPhone sub-brand.Continue reading...

Apple reportedly working on a lower-end iPhone.

H&M reveals launch plans for & Other Stories store brand.

Lance Armstrong to discuss doping in exclusive live-streamed Oprah Winfrey interview as new allegations arise.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos doesn't care about profit margins.

American Airlines upgrades international travel.

Asus looks to share in Google Nexus glory.

Audi A7 self-driving autopilot car goes for a spin at CES.

Beauty brands including Philosophy try oxygenating products.

Best Buy's former CMO lands at LivingSocial.

Boeing sees formal probe of Dreamliner.Continue reading...

One of the last big things that Joel Ewanick did before he was bounced as General Motors' CMO last summer was to declare that the giant automaker was going to sit out TV advertising in Super Bowl XLVII on February 3. But don't be surprised that GM is trying to find every other way it can to attach itself to the Big Game.

One of the latest reports is that Chevrolet plans to place its all-new 2014 Corvette on the 50-yard-line during the halftime show and present it to this year's celebrity performer (and Pepsi partner), Beyonce. But GM hasn't budged an inch in terms of its decision to sit out actual advertising during the Super Bowl telecast on CBS, even though Chevy could probably make real good use this year of its traditionally strong presence in the game, with a new 2014 Silverado pick-up truck comnig out and its overall brand message remaining muddled.

Speaking of Beyonce, PepsiCo now plans to put 50 contest winners onstage with her during the halftime show. The online contest invites entrants to post photos of themselves in Beyonce-style positions that could be used in ads promoting her performance.

In other Super Bowl advertising news, M&Ms has announced that it will return to the game with an all-new 30-second commercial during the first quarter. Last year, M&Ms introduced the world to its "Ms. Brown" character that was a hit with viewers. All that Mars Chocolate North America will say about its plans for this Super Bowl is that it will "tap our colorful characters" once again.Continue reading...

NYSE Euronext is in merger talks with the IntercontinentalExchange. (Update: Sold!)

Foursquare starts using Facebook data for recommendations.

General Mills announces more than 100 new products for 2013.

Amazon's Jeff Bezos among retail leaders honored by NRF.

Apple feels heat in Brazil over iPhone brand and sees "pinch to zoom" patent rejected.

Barack Obama pledges to take action on gun control.

Best Buy digital chief resigns.

Darden takes new tack to spur U.S. restraurant brands.

Deutsche Bank image remake suffers.

Disney raises bar on customer experience with new Fantasy Land.

eBay stops advertising inside mobile apps.Continue reading...

As the holidays are fast upon us, the brightest creative-commerce minds are devising promotions, deals and give-aways to snare the 2012 shopper wherever and whenever he or she may be.

The U.S. National Retail Foundation estimates that Holiday 2012 shoppers will spend $750 per family (up less than 1% from last year), with shopping smarter particularly important for higher-priced tech items that one-third of the population is focused on as lead gifts.

New research from Accenture shows a shift in consumer purchasing behavior and use of shopping channels, specifically online, regarding personalization vs. privacy, digital vs. in-store shopping and the rise of “showrooming.”Continue reading...

Angry Birds first Christmas song ("Fly Me Home Tonight") released by Rovio.

Apple downgraded by Citi on China suppliers, while first weekend iPhone 5 sales in China top two million.

NRA goes silent in wake of Newtown, CT, school massacre as President Obama vows to get tougher on guns.

Diet Pepsi quietly changes sweetener in advance of new logo, tagline and can design.

Barclays protests US energy fine.

Best Buy extends deadline for founder's buyout bid.

Chrysler undecided on minivan plan.

Cisco reportedly plans to sell Linksys brand.

Coca-Cola resurrects Mello Yello in Australia, plans pop-up beach at Sydney Cricket Stadium.

Facebook's monetization efforts may ride on Walmart campaign lessons.

Li Ning projects substantial loss.

Microsoft urged to ditch Windows brand by Dell.

PPR goes shopping for young brands.

Starbucks defended by London mayor Boris Johnson.

Toyota set to seize global auto sales crown as GM vies for 2nd place.

Conventional wisdom in recent months has had it that the video-game-console business is a dying one. Even though it still brings in big bucks, the culture is changing and people are playing games in different ways thanks to the proliferation of mobile devices and smartphones.

As noted by the New York Times, Nintendo — one of the game-console industry’s biggest names — really needs the new Wii U, a combo of a more audacious Wii and a tabletish gamepad that allows for multiscreen gaming adventures, to be a mega-hit. And it is looking like the company's launch campaign is paying off. Video game retailer GameStop opened 3,000 of its stores Friday at midnight to kick off Black Friday and promptly sold out of all of its Wii U consoles, the Times reports.

Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of America subsequently told the NYT that the new console is selling in the U.S. as well as the original Wii did when it launched. More than 400,000 units flew out of stores in its first week on the market, which ended Saturday. The original Wii had sold 475,000 in that same time. “We are essentially sold out at retail,” Fils-Aime said. “As soon as we replenish product to retailers, it sells out immediately.”Continue reading...

Western retailers have been completely bombarding China with products and sales pitches in recent years. Having more than 1.3 billion consumers living within its borders can make a country’s citizens targets of such things. 

Starbucks is about to go overdrive in its efforts to get the Chinese populace as dependent on their brand as plenty of Americans are, but the sell may not be so coffee-driven, but leverage the brand's tea drinks and food menu. The chain currently has 700 stores in China but that number will more than double in size to 1,500 in the next three years, according to the Wall Street Journal. That growth will also mean the chain’s employees in China will go from 12,000 today to 30,000 in three years. It also offers regional websites for Eastern China and Northern China.

Coffee sales went up 20% in 2011 over the previous year and brought in $995 million, WSJ notes, but China is still a tea-drinking nation. So Starbucks established a research-and-development unit in the country in order to figure out what it could do to attract a larger audience than those looking for a cup of joe. As a result, Starbucks China is not only celebrating Western customs such as Christmas, but serving up localized beverage and food items including a red bean frappaccino, green tea tiramisu, a Hainan chicken and rice wrap, a shredded ginger pork panini, and a Thai-style prawn wrap. And the Starbucks kiosks that work so well in the States don’t have the same effect in the Chinese market where consumers desire more space.Continue reading...