Cartier is celebrating its 165th anniversary with a cinematic ad that features the jewelry-maker's classic diamond panther comes to life, prowling its iconic designs in a visually stunning series of outdoor settings that span the globe. As the brand puts it, "L'Odyssée de Cartier" commercial is "a journey between dream and reality. For the very first time, Cartier has decided to create a cinema epic focusing on its history, its values and inspiration, its artistic and universal scope." Watch it below.Continue reading...

Adidas taps Katy Perry for new campaign.

AFL-CIO launches image campaign.

Airbus posts record sales.

American Airlines stops flying to India, sacks 150 workers.

AOL leads companies testing crowdsourcing.

Apple expands iTunes Match, reportedly preps interactive textbooks for the iPad, while pre-earnings valuations vary.

BASF halts its genetically modified products in Europe, including its Amflora potato.

Beats Electronics breaks up with Monster.

Beyonce accused of skin-lightening in album promotion, gives first post-baby interview.

BlackBerry-maker RIM criticized by analysts for PlayBook incompatability.

BMW recalls 89,000 Mini vehicles.

Burberry quarterly profits jump 22%.

Carnival faces heat in wake of Italy shipwreck, its worst accident in 40 years, as environmental fears mount and cruise industry is rocked.

M&M's will introduce a sixth candy character — Ms. Brown — in its Super Bowl commercial, while Kia plans 60-second commercial with Adriana Lima and Motley Crue, in keeping with trend to longer Super Bowl spots.Continue reading...

Cartier's new Winter Tale holiday campaign promotes the French jeweler this holiday season with an ethereal spot (and its iconic panther) that follows on a trio of short films (directed by Luca Guadagnino and co-scripted by Xan Cassavetes) that the luxury brand debuted last month, along with an original video and music by the French band AIR. Watch them below.Continue reading...

Air France replaces CEO, Mercedes-Benz USA CEO is ousted in Daimler exec shuffle, and Olympus shares plunge as its CEO is fired.

Apple sells 4 million iPhone 4S units in first weekend, as Samsung sues to block the device in Japan and Australia and HTC loses Apple patent case in US. Steve Jobs' Silicon Valley memorial service reportedly filled with humor and music, as company prepares to honor late co-founder and report earnings on Tuesday. Starbucks and Apple are also partnering in the UK on free music downloads.

Mattel eyes UK's HIT Entertainment, home to Thomas the Tank Engine and other kids' properties.

Bank of America posts $6.2 billion quarterly profit, while Goldman Sachs reports $428 million loss.

BlackBerry customers receive free apps and tech support to make amends for outages.Continue reading...

AOL considers paid content.

Ben & Jerry's kicks off food truck in San Francisco with free ice-cream.

Bloomberg pushes for a wider TV audience.

Cadbury's Naomi Campbell ad ruled not racist.

Cartier joins Burberry, Louis Vuitton and other luxury brands by launching Youku video channel in China.

Cisco turnaround takes longer than expected.

Coca-Cola accuses Goldman Sachs of manipulating prices.Continue reading...

Our Apple Product Placement watch updates typically fall within Apple's home turf of the US. But a new film from China is proving that product placement is international. In fact, we may need to be worrying about China besting us in this sector as well.Continue reading...

Temperatures are rising this summer in more ways than one. It may be unbearably hot outside, but when it comes to the luxury brand market, things are positively boiling over.

Luxury brands have been beating the war drum loudly lately. With a weakened global economy eroding their profit margins, luxury brand marketers have seen their traditional upscale buyers turn away from the brands they once cherished. Instead, many of these consumers are trading down and looking for lower-priced bargains. Even worse, some are purchasing counterfeit goods.

This has led to a number of aggressive actions by the luxury brands, such as pressuring the European Commission to give a brand the authority to designate which online distributors can sell that brand's products. The Europe-wide ruling, which went into effect in June, also gives a brand the legal means to pursue e-tailers who are illegally selling the brand's goods or misrepresenting the brand's name.

Now Cartier is trying to extend that same kind of authority to the United States by going after an online retailer who sells name brand second-hand goods at a deep discount.Continue reading...

BP says it has plugged the spill in the Gulf, earning White House accolades now that three-quarters of the spilled oil is now gone. Still, work remains.

AOL reported a $1 billion loss for the second quarter.

Cartier is suing Hautelook over the alleged sale of inferior quality (read: secondhand) goods.

Forbes is selling its Investopedia site to ValueClick for $42 million.

Google is loosening restrictions on using brand names in its lucrative European advertising business, putting the onus on retailers to protect their trademarks online.Continue reading...