Syfy’s upfront event for advertisers, held yesterday at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, celebrated a cohort its research team is calling Igniters — “those highly imaginative people who shape the world in which we live and move brands forward faster,” and the key audience that has made the brand a top media destination for imagination-based entertainment.

The brand's on-air/online pitch to media buyers and brand marketers on the Syfy Igniters microsite: "Syfy sparks the imagination, inspiring curiosity and creativity among an influential audience who believes the world is full of possibility. By opening doors to new ideas, and opening eyes to thrilling new perspectives, we make the unbelievable...believable."

The NBC Universal-owned Syfy, which launched in 1992 as the Sci Fi channel (and shortened to Sci-Fi from 1999-2009), has held steady as a top 10 cable entertainment network among adults 25-54 for 16 consecutive years, and its bumper crop in original programming, digital and gaming media portend many more years to come.Continue reading...

As part of its deal to acquire NBCUniversal, Comcast agreed to launch more minority-owned networks by 2014 — and it's doing just that. From a music and pop culture hub called Revolt from Sean "Diddy" Combs, to a startup backed by Magic Johnson, it's a mixed bag that helps America's biggest cable operator appease the feds — but will it really do much for diversity — or TV viewers?Continue reading...

Just when you think the final story has been written about Netflix — the story begins again.

The high-flying video subscription service, largely credited with driving Blockbuster into bankruptcy, has had business issues of its own in the past year. Now it's looking to a new partner — cable operators — who traditionally view streaming in general, and Netflix in particular, as the enemy.Continue reading...

Paramount Pictures is celebrating its centennial on May 8th with a new logo that debuted in December. If you caught Dr. Seuss' The Lorax you may have noticed Universal Pictures' new animated logo for its 100th anniversary, which is coming up on April 6th.

Created by Weta Digital, it features Brian Tyler's new arrangement of Jerry Goldsmith's classic score. The previous Universal logo premiered with The Lost World: Jurassic Park in 1997. The Universary is being celebrated throughout 2012 with a Universal100th website featuring such iconic films as To Kill a Mockingbird plus "new films, classic DVDs, essential Blu-Rays, events, online games, competitions, and money-can't-buy prizes." (The Toshiba-sponsored contest's top prize: $1 million paid out as an annuity over 40 years).

Below, watch Universal's new animated logo and trailer promoting its 100th anniversary, along with 100 years of the studio's logos (including the Jurassic Park-introduced logo at :40); a clip of Tyler discussing how he reworked Goldsmith's musical intro to evoke a century of movie moments; and a comparison with Paramount's 100th anniversary logo.Continue reading...

The catchphrase of The Lorax — "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing's going to get better" — can mean a lot of different things depending on one's perspective when it comes to the marketing of Universal's record-breaking new #1 movie.

To purists, it means that unless consumers speak up, Hollywood's commercialization of Dr. Seuss, including signing a cross-promotional sponsorship deal with an automaker, the movie's environmental message is for naught. To Mazda, the brand that's ponying up for The Lorax tie-in, it means that unless some consumers care an awful lot, sales numbers are not going to get better.

But is the outrage about Mazda's Lorax partnership making "perfect" the enemy of "good" — and overlooking ?Continue reading...

Ace Hardware debuts first-ever paint campaign.

AIG sells $6 billion in AIA shares to help repay bailout loan.

Angie's List creates rare success with paid-content model.

Apple expected to pass 100 million iPad sales by year-end as iPad 3 is unveiled this week and excitement builds for Apple TV.

BP stock rises on proposed $17.6 billion settlement in oil spill.

Carlos Slim's America Movil reportedly starting a Netflix-like online service for Mexico.

Facebook asks advertisers for big investments in exchange for expanding fan base.

Frontier low-cost airline may be relaunched or sold.

GlaxoSmithKline expands in China.

GM struggles to make Volt a sustainable business.Continue reading...

Anheuser-Busch InBev considers bid for European brewer StarBev.

Apple defends rights to iPad name in Shanghai court.

Barnes & Noble sees profits crimped by digital investments.

Carbonite encourages planning for loss.

Comcast takes aim at Netflix.

Ford boosts pay for directors by 25 percent.

General Mills and Kraft promise to hold line on marketing spending in tough environment.Continue reading...

Amazon's brand value soars 32% in Interbrand's 2012 Best Retail Brands report.

Apple's iPad challenger Proview is open to a settlement as Apple extends checks on Chinese suppliers. Apple also signed China Telecom as second iPhone seller.

Cabela's expands and rolls out smaller-store format.

Coca-Cola sponsors teen parties in Tanzania.

FedEx may be eyeing TNT Express.

Ford signals moderate growth and expansion in China.

Gap teams with fashion bloggers for Be Bright global launch.Continue reading...